SUKKUR, July 26: Sindh ministers Imtiaz Shaikh and Sohrab Sarki and Sultan Khawar, adviser to Sindh chief minister, met the family members of Santosh Kumar on Monday and assured them of his early release.

Santosh Kumar, a trader, was kidnapped on July 4, 2004. The Hindu community across Sindh has been protesting against the failure of police to secure his release. Santosh Kumar is said to be in the captivity of notorious bandit Umer Jatoi in the kutcha area of Shikarpur district. And it is alleged that Ameen Shaikh, a member of the Zakat committee and resident of Chak town, had helped the Jatoi group to kidnap Mr Santosh.

His kidnapping is having a negative impact on the election campaign of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz in Tharparkar as Hindu Panchayats of the area force the Sindh chief minister to get the trader released.

A senior police official on the condition of anonymity said persons behind the kidnapping had been identified, but police was not taking any step in haste because the force wanted safe release of the hostage.