SUKKUR: A policeman was abducted after an attack on the check-post he was manning in Kandhkot on Sunday. In the ensuing chase and encounter, one of the attackers was killed and his two associates were wounded, the police said.

The kidnappers later uploaded a video on the social media showing the hostage in their custody and asking for release of certain gangsters.

Police sources and local media personnel said that dacoits belonging to different gangs attacked the Baho check-post and took away the policeman, Naveed Jakhro, along with his official weapon.

Upon receiving the information, a strong contingent of officers and personnel drawn from several police stations of Kandhkot was sent into the riverine area of Kandhkot. During the chase, the gangsters were spotted and challenged within the limits of Dera Sarki police station, the police said, adding that in the ensuing gun battle, one of the dacoits, Dilbar Malik, was killed and two others were wounded.

Release of gangsters, their family members demanded; police claim killing one dacoit in ensuing encounter

They said the dead dacoit’s body was taken the C-Section police station but the gangsters managed to take away their wounded accomplices.

The area had been cordoned off to rescue the policeman and arrest the dacoits, they said.

According to the police, Dilbar Malik was wanted in more than 15 cases of heinous crimes including kidnaping for ransom, robberies and attacks on police. Details of his crime record were being collected from different police stations, they said.

Local media personnel reported that at least one policeman was also wounded in the encounter.

Meanwhile, the notorious Sabzoi gang uploaded a video clip on the social media showing policeman Naveed Jakhro in their custody.

Jakhro was made to scream and beg for help. He appealed to the DIGs of Larkana and Counter Terrorism Department and Kandhkot-Kashmore SSP to accept his kidnappers’ demand to rescue him.

The kidnappers, through Jakhro, asked the authorities concerned to release their associates and their families from police custody.

Naveed Jakhro stated in the video clip that he was shot in his leg, and feared that he might be killed if his kidnappers’ demand was not accepted.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2024