DADU, April 19: Twenty-three police officials were kidnapped and four of them injured by two groups of bandits on the Indus Highway near Mehar on Sunday night. Later, the bandits set the kidnapped policemen free but after looting their uniforms.

Following the incident, police raided different places and arrested 25 suspects who are being interrogated. The two groups of dacoits, believed to be led by Imamuddin Khoso and Wali Mazari, blocked the highway near Mehar and looted thousands of rupees cash, gold ornaments and other valuable items from passengers of different vehicles.

Meanwhile, a van (CL-6810) taking a police party to Shahdadpur police training centre from Larkana reached the spot. The dacoits signalled the driver to stop the van but he did not do so.

The outlaws opened fires on the van causing injuring to head constables Yar Mohammad Mallah, Allah Dino Markahand, Bashir Ahmed and driver Abdul Karim Brohi. After stopping the van, the dacoits held all the policemen hostage. After some time, the criminals set the policemen free and escaped.