SUKKUR: Police claimed to have rescued 12 hostages from the clutches of dacoits during an operation in Bagarji riverine area on Wednesday.

According to a statement released by Sukkur police, on the order of Sukkur DIG Faisal Abdullah Chachar, Sukkur and Khairpur police launched a joint operation against dacoits in the riverine area of Bagarji town for two days.

As a result of continuous police actions, dacoits in panic kidnapped three people from Sukkur and nine people from the Khairpur area the other night.

Sukkur SSP Azhar Khan took timely action and recovered the hostages safe from the clutches of the dacoits during a targeted operation against the outlaws.

The police said the dacoits were shifting the hostages from the area when the police engaged them in an encounter and got them freed.

As a result, two dacoits were reported injured during the shootout, the statement said, adding that the kidnappers fired at the police’s APCs with heavy weapons, causing damage to the armoured vehicles.

It said that the dacoits had to release around 12 hostages during the shootout. Later they fled in the forest taking advantage of the darkness of the night.

Out of the 12 recovered victims, nine were the citizens of Khairpur district while other three persons belonged to the Solangi community from Bachal Shah Miani in Sukkur district.

Police vowed to continue operations against crime unless the law and order is maintained in the riverine area.

But source told Dawn that the hostages were not recovered during any police operation, the outlaws released them under a deal with the police that the ongoing operation against them would be stopped in katcha area.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025