RAHIM YAR KHAN: A gang of Katcha area attacked the house of relatives of an alleged police informer and killed four of his relatives, including three brothers, at Basti Chandia/Lashari of village Jajja Abbasian in the Zahirpir town of tehsil Khanpur at night.

On the other hand, police claimed that two attackers were killed when they were trying to escape towards the Katcha area.

According to the rescue sources, the dacoits of Indhar Gang attacked the house of Irfan, an uncle of the late Usman Chandia, at around 10pm. Immediately after their arrival, the dacoits killed Irfan’s three sons, Muhammad Arabi (15),Muhammad Makki (15), Muhammad Madni (10), and a relative Muhammad Zaman (38).

In a video message Irfan said he had informed police about the attack of the dacoits but police did not reach even after half an hour of the attack. He said the police had just used his nephew Usman Chandia who was killed in the confrontation with the dacoits in 2023. He further said that it was the duty of police to provide them with security because police were already providing security and meals to the family of Usman Chandia. He said his whole family was murdered and now even the inspector general police or DIG could not help him. Irfan said that the dacoits took revenge of the killings of Janu Indhar and his accomplices.

According to some locals, the area of Jajja Abbasian witnessed the sound of shots fired by the dacoits and there was panic among the villagers. The police did not respond to calls at 15 when the district police officer and Station House Officer Zahirpir were a few kilometers away from the scene. In a WhatsApp message, a police spokesperson claimed that after the killing of four innocent citizens, police failed the attempt of the attackers to escape. After the attack of dacoits, they were being chased and the heavy firing started in which two dacoits were killed. He claimed that they belonged to the Indhar, Shar and Kosh gangs; however, he did not disclose the name of the deceased suspects.

Janu Indhar, the ring leader of Indhar Gang, and his three accomplices, Munshi Indhar, Somer Shar and Kata Shar, were killed in an encounter in July 2023 while two dacoits were injured. The encounter happened in the Katcha area of Kashmore and Kandhkot. According to the sources, after the killing of Janu Indhar, Jamil Indhar and Tanvir Indhar were leading the gang and it is suspected that they were behind the attack on Irfan’s house and killing of his three sons and a relative.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2025