THATTA: An outraged man allegedly opened an indiscriminate fire on his family members, killing his wife and two daughters and seriously wounding four other children before shooting himself to death.

According to the Jherruck police of Thatta district, the incident took place in the remote forest area of Keti Khosa, near the small town of Tando Hafiz Shah.

Citing initial inquiry, they said the suspect, Rakho Khoso, was a drug addict and had been under sheer distress for some time over lack of money to buy narcotics and afford domestic expenses. They said his relationship with his wife had turned extremely tense after he became penniless.

On Saturday, he took the extreme action of killing the entire family and himself but his four children survived in the shooting spree, the police said, adding that the survivors also received gunshot wounds.

The incident occurred in the Keti Khosa forest area, adjacent to Jherruck (also called Jhirk in local parlance). According to the police, the suspect, identified as Rakho Khoso, opened fire on his family after quarelling with his wife over domestic expenses and his drug addiction.

The deceased woman was identified as Mangi Khoso and the two minor daughters as Sodhi and Humaira, who died on the spot.

The four wounded children were taken to a nearby government hospital in a critical condition, the police said.

Residents of the dwelling told media personnel that police and rescuers reached Khoso’s home considerably late because of the difficult uneven terrain leading to it in the deep forest area.

Jherruck DSP Wajid Thaheem said the initial inquiry suggested the suspect’s addiction and abject poverty being the apparent motive for his extreme action.

Residents of the dwelling also endorsed the claim of a strained relationship between the suspect and his wife over money matters.

He said a postmortem examination of the bodies was performed at a Jherruck hospital and its report was awaited.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026