RAHIM YAR KHAN: Three policemen were killed by dacoits of Kacha area in an attack on a police check post at the river Indus protective spur near Bhong on Wednesday night.

According to police sources, the dacoits attacked the police post when the constables were asleep, while the Bhong circle police were busy in an encounter with Shar dacoits gang in Machka area.

The constables martyred in the attack are: Jahangir Ahmed, a resident of Rukanpur, Imtiaz Ali of Khanbela and Muhammad Tariq of Jampur. Their fourth colleague was on leave when the dacoits attacked the check post, the police said.

After the attack, a police party started chasing the dacoits, and after an exchange of heavy firing the police claimed to have recovered a body from a field, which was later identified as Samundar Indhar, a member of notorious Indhar gang of dacoits.

Police claim an Indher Gang dacoit was later killed in an encounter

The dacoits of Shar gang had killed Machka Station House Officer Muhammad Ramzan during an encounter on Wednesday and injured Constable Qaiser Chattha.

The funeral prayers for the four martyred police officials were offered at Sadiq Shaheed Police Lines here on Thursday morning.

Police high-ups, including South Punjab additional IG and Bahawalpur regional police officer (RPO), attended the funeral prayers.

Two separate first information reports (FIRs) were registered against 70 nominated dacoits of Shar gang and 50 of Indhar and Kosh gangs at Machka and Bhong police stations.

According to a police informer, the attack that left three constables dead was a result of a security lapse and incompetence of Bhong police circle ASP and SHOs.

He said the dacoits tactfully engaged the the police at Machka and meanwhile attacked the police post.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2024