DADU: A mobile phone recovered by a police investigation team from the site of a March 7 mugging incident within the jurisdiction of the Radhan police station led to the busting of a gang, Dadu SSP retired Captain Ameer Saud Magsi told a press conference here on Friday.

He said that three members of the gang were arrested and belongings of an ASI, Abbas Ali Magsi, who was martyred by the gang during another incident of robbery near Mehar town, were recovered from them.

He recalled that on March 9, a gang of robbers had intercepted a passenger coach (JB-4084) coming from Larkana at a section of the Indus Highway near Mehar within the jurisdiction of the Tharari Mohabbat police station. During the robbery, the outlaws opened fire on one of the passengers, ASI Abbas Ali Magsi, who was posted at Gandawah police station of Balochistan. The ASI was killed and the coach’s conductor, Khalid Rahujo, was wounded in the firing.

Giving details of the breakthrough in the blind robbery case, the SSP said that an investigation team comprising Mehar DSP Munir Ahmed Phulpoto, CIA In-charge Inspector Benazir Jamali, DIC In-charge Rana Asif Ali Rajput, Radhan SHO Shahnawaz Otho and Tharari Mohabbat SHO Abdul Ghaffar Panhwar was formed to track down the culprits.

The team found a mobile phone at the site of an earlier (March 7) mugging site. The forensic and technical experts, who were part of the investigation team, examined it and with the help of its call data record (CDR) reached the conclusion that both the March 7 and 9 crimes were committed by a same gang.

The SSP said that geo-fencing, CDR and intelligence sharing helped the team to identify members of the gang.

Incidentally, during the March 19 night, Radhan police came across some armed men near Saleh Jatoi link road and challenged them. An encounter ensued after which three of them were arrested. Their four companions, however, managed to escape, the SSP said.

During interrogation, they revealed that the mobile phone of one of their associates had fallen down while fleeing the crime scene on March 7. They also confessed to have been involved in the coach robbery and murder of the ASI on March 9. Eventually, martyred ASI Magsi’s wallet, identity card, service card and driving licence were recovered from them.

The arrested suspects were identified as Ali Gul, son of Mohammad Ayoub Solangi, Nadir, son of Ramzan Solangi and Allah Rakhio alias Lakho, son of Ramzan Daher. One Kalashnikov, two pistols and a mobile phone were seized from them, the SSP said. The other gang members had also been identified raids were being conducted at different places to arrest them, he added.

According to SSP Magsi, the gangsters were wanted by police in as many as 14 criminal cases pertaining to theft, robbery and police encounters. The SSP has announced appreciation certificates for all members of the investigation team.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025