SUKKUR: Dacoits gunned down a primary schoolteacher, when he was driving to his school on a motorcycle along Hazaro Shakh (water channel) on Magsi-Karampur road near Tangwani town, Kandhkot-Kashomre district, on Monday.

The teacher Allah Rakhiyo Nandwani, a resident of Khando Khan Nandwani, taught at a cluster primary school in Nasrullah Khan Bijarani village, which was considered a ‘no-go’ area.

He had recently earned fame and great respect through his videos uploaded on social media in which he expressed his determination to continue to defy bandit-rule by going to the “no-go” area regularly to educate children.

A video clip that showed the slain teacher armed with a double barreled gun going to his school along with his young students went viral on the social media. He could be heard in the video saying that he had taken up the weapon for his safety and would go to the school even at great risk to his life.

The video attracted thousands of social media users, who appreciated his resolve and lashed out at the area police’s criminal negligence in protecting lives of general public, especially teachers.

The way the outlaws fired straight at the teacher’s chest showed they had targeted him to make him an example for others who might dare to challenge their control and end their fear.

Sources said the dacoits managed to escape away with the teacher’s motorcycle into nearby riverine area.

Police said that they rushed to the area after receiving information about the teacher’s murder and shifted his body to Karampur taluka hospital. The body was handed over to heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities, they said.

The news about the teacher’s brutal killing spread like jungle fire on social media, with netizens heaping harsh criticism on district police and promoting Sindh Minister for Home Zia Lanjar to direct Larkana DIG to submit to him a report about the incident.

Family stages protest

The bereaved family along with a large number of supporters placed the teacher’s dead body on the Kandhkot-Thull road at Magsi stop and staged a demonstration, blocking all vehicular movement on the road.

The victim’s brothers, Mithal Nandwani and Moula Bakhsh Nandwani, who led the protest, said that no one was safe on roads where highwaymen committed crimes without fear of police and recklessly killed people over resistance.

They demanded their brother’s killers should be brought to justice and people should be protected from criminals and dacoits.

A few hours later, DSP Tangwani arrived there and assured the protesters of the killers’ arrest. Thereafter, they called off the protest.

Sources said the victim had left behind two wives, two daughters and a young son besides a large number of relatives, students and admirers to mourn his death.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024