KHAIRPUR, Oct 5: Four armed men kidnapped a trader and landlord, Sikandar Selro, 26, near here on Tuesday morning, sparking protests by residents of his village. Mr Selro was coming here from his village Waris Ghambhir on a motorcycle.

The armed men riding on a white car intercepted him on the National Highway, compelled him to sit in the car and took him away. After the incident, hundreds of villagers blocked the highway at the Thehri Bridge and bypass by parking vehicles on the roads. People's Party Parliamentarians MPA Nawab Wassan also joined the protest.

The protesters pelted vehicles with stones and set tyres on fire. They also hurled stones on a fire brigade vehicle which had been sent to put off fire. Windscreen and lights of the fire brigade vehicle were smashed and driver Abdullah sustained minor injuries.

Police arrived at the place and baton-charged the protesters as a result five of them were injured. Then, police rushed to Waris Ghambhir village where they clashed with the villagers. The villagers hurled stones on police which baton-charged the villagers.

During the scuffle, the SHO of B-section, Ghulam Shabbir Arejo, and head constable Mushtaq Khaskheli were injured. The injured SHO was taken to the Civil Hospital Khairpur where he was admitted whereas the head constable was discharged after being administered first aid.

The DPO of Khairpur, Imran Yaqoob Minhas, said that the kidnap victim could not be got released by blocking road. He added that a police party, headed by City ASP Javed Jiskani, had gone behind the kidnappers.