RAHIM YAR KHAN: As two men belonging to Solangi clan returned home after their families paid Rs2 million ransom to a katcha area gang, the released hostages accused a station house officer (SHO) and some other policemen of being involved in the crime.

Ajmal Solangi, a relative of the released hostages and a senior lawyer, at a press conference held at Sadiqabad Press Club on Sunday said Siraj Ahmed Solangi and Rehmat Ullah Solangi were kidnapped on the night of December 11 near Machka.

Quoting the victims, he said that dacoits riding seven to eight motorcycles intercepted their car while they were going to hospital.

The dacoits stopped the car by bursting its tyres and took the two men to Katcha area, he added.

He said that according to the released hostages, they had seen a white double-cabin vehicle of police with three policemen, some 500 meters away from the scene of kidnapping.

The victims accuse an SHO of conniving with the Katcha area gang

Ajmal said that the dacoits initially demanded Rs7 million and later Rs50 million for the release of the victims.

However, he said, later due to efforts made by lawyers’ community, two MPAs — Mumtaz Chang from Sadiqabad and Sher Muhammad Mughai from Jacobabad — and an arrangement with police, the dacoits settled for Rs2 million ransom and handed over the victims to police.

He alleged that some “black sheep” in the police were involved in kidnapping for ransom and SHO Saif Ullah Mali and his group were executing this criminal activity.

Ajmal demanded the Punjab inspector general of police to take departmental action against those involved in the kidnappings and responsible for killings of policemen in the Katcha areas of Punjab and Sindh.

He said that he raised an amount of Rs0.5 million by collecting donations from some senior lawyers to pay the ransom.

The victims, Siraj and Rehmat, told reporters that the dacoits, who subjected them to torture, would speak Baloachi language.

They alleged that in their conversation the dacoits would talk about their telephonic contact with SHO Malhi.

On the other hand, a police press release claimed that a special team conducted a targeted operation in Katcha area on Saturday night and after an exchange of heavy firing, “recovered Siraj and Rehmat safely”.

The press released also claimed that in the police operation two of the dacoits were injured.

RYK DPO Rizwan Umar Gondal appreciated the police team on the “successful operation”, it added.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024