HYDERABAD: Three policemen were arrested and their seven ‘unknown’ associates were booked on Sunday vide an FIR pertaining to the March 10 kidnapping for ransom incident.

The victim, Nasir Rustam, is owner of a banquet and a resident of Latifabad, Unit-6. Fearing consequences, he was reluctant to lodge an FIR but the Hyderabad SSP, Shahzeb Chachar, encouraged him by assuring him of protection.

On Sunday, Mr Rustam lodged his FIR at the Hali Road police station. Soon afterwards, the SSP told Dawn that “three policemen have been detained and action against the other suspects is in the process”.

Narrating his ordeal to police, Mr Rustam said that he was abducted while he was returning from his mother’s home within Latifabad Unit-6 after Taraveeh at around 10pm on March 10. He said his son and daughter were with him when the motorbike they were riding was intercepted by six or seven armed suspects, who were riding a car and a motorbike.

Mr Rustam said that he was forcibly dragged into the car and whisked away leaving his son and daughter raising a hue and cry.

He stated that he was let off at about 6am within the Latifabad Unit-6 area after he paid the Rs2m ransom being demanded by the suspects.

He said that the kidnappers changed their vehicle before fleeing the area.

He also quoted some of his kidnappers telling someone over phone during the ordeal: “Sir kaam ho gaya hye; banda hamaray paas hey”. Another one informed the person on the line that they had now reached the highway.

Mr Rustam said that after being abducted, he was kept in an abandoned structure, where three other persons were present. He said he was also subjected to torture.

In his FIR, he identified two of the suspects as policemen, Talha and Sabbir Shah.

Also on Sunday, Mr Rustam told Dawn that he knew two other suspects, Junaid Mughal and Tanveer, who worked as ‘beaters’ (a term used for those who collect extortion money for policemen). He said Tanveer was also a sacked policeman.

Giving details of his release, he said he was let off at about 6am near the Red Crescent Hospital, located within Unit-6 of Latifabad. “I contacted my brother, Naveed, and asked him to bring Rs2m to the place. When I handed over the money to the suspects, they dropped me near the hospital,” he said, adding that the ransom money had not been recovered from the suspects as yet.

Police sources said that the kidnapping was supervised by an SHO of the Jamshoro district and that four of the ‘unknown’ persons mentioned in the FIR also happened to be policemen from the same district. They included an ASI, a constable and the diver of a police mobile van.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026