MIRPURKHAS/SUKKUR: Gangs of dacoits in the districts of Mirpurkhas and Kandh­kot tortured to death two hostages on Thursday and dumped their bodies.

In Mirpurkhas district, a Marri clansman, who was kidnapped by a gang of highwaymen near Nazdeekabad a few days ago when he was going to the city on a motorcycle along with a relative, was beaten to death and his body was thrown into Jamrao Canal by his captors, according to sources in police.

The sources said that the kidnappers tortured Sabu Marri with batons and axes soon after the abduction and then threw him into the canal in half-dead condition. The captors had a dispute with Sabu over a piece of farmland, they said.

The outlaws also snatched the motorcycle from the victim’s relative Noor Mohammad Marri at gunpoint before taking Sabu away.

A police officer at Khaan police station who gave his name as Mohammad Jumman Marri disclosed that police learnt during investigation the hostage had been killed and thrown into the canal.

He said that after investigators learnt the snatched motorcycle and the robbers were hidden somewhere in Sanghar district, police raided a place and found the bike. They also detained three suspects who were being interrogated, he said, adding that a case would be lodged against the culprits after the hostage’s body had been found.

In another similar incident, a gang of dacoits tortured one of the two hostages kidnapped in Ghous­pur, Kandhkot district, 15 days ago, and dumped his dead body near B.S. Feeder canal along Ghaus­pur road on Thursday.

Sources in the area said that the dacoits killed Mohammad Rafique Samejo but they still held Javed Shiakh. They were employees of a tracker company and were abducted when they went to Ghauspur to install the device in a vehicle a fortnight ago, they said.

Days after abduction, the kidnappers had uploaded a video clip on social media showing the two hostages in chains and being subjected to severe beating.

The abductors deman­ded Rs10 million from the hostages’ families for their release and threatened to kill them if they failed to pay the ransom.

The sources said that the kidnapers uploaded another video clip on social media on Wednesday night, which showed the hostage lying motionless on the ground.

The following day the dacoits dumped his body near the canal, said the sources.

Abdul Jabbar Samejo, the victim’s brother, told media persons after receiving the body that his brother died due to incompetence of police.

The government had failed to protect citizens from a handful of dacoits as the facilitators and patrons of the criminals were feudal lords who were part of the government, he lamented.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2024