SUKKUR: A school van driver’s courage and presence of mind in the face of serious threats to his own life and villagers’ timely intervention saved 10 female teachers from being kidnapped when they were on their way to a school run by The Citizens Foundation (TCF) in Sodho Khan Banglani village on Friday.

A video clip filmed by one of the teachers from inside the van showed heavily armed dacoits on three motorcycles, believed to be members of Machoo Banglani gang, stopping their vehicle just outside the village.

As the van stopped they tried to open its doors and kidnap the teachers but the driver quickly locked all the gates and windows. The dacoits were trying to force open the doors by banging on the van and threatening the driver when people from the village started assembling there after hearing women’s screams.

After highly tense moments when villagers grew in number, the dacoits finally hopped onto their motorcycles and decided to retreat. The moment the outlaws disappeared the van’s driver sped up the vehicle and brought the teachers to safety.

A strong contingent of police reached the village after receiving information about the incident and cordoned off the area to search for the fleeing dacoits.

Police officials said that a massive operation would be conducted against the dacoits within two to three days.

A few days back, Machoo Banglani gang martyred a police constable Muqeem Khoso. Police registered a case against the gang and other criminals and launched a targeted operation in which many houses and hideouts of the criminals were demolished and set on fire, according to police.

In retaliation, the Banglani gang kidnapped three people, including two SSGCL officials and a policeman, three days back and attempted to kidnap the school teachers in the latest incident but for the van driver’s courage and villagers timely help the teachers were saved from being kidnapped.

The disturbing video clip that went viral on social media has added to fear and panic in the area in which terrified teachers could be heard reciting Quranic verses to seek divine help against the callous dacoits.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2025