MIRPURKHAS, April 4: Members of the Bheel community observed a token hunger strike outside the press club here on Monday to protest against the kidnapping of 17 of their colleagues from the Ismail Rajar village, Khipro taluka, allegedly by a landlord in collusion with an ASI of Sanghar police, respectively Those on hunger strike told newsmen that the landlord was not giving them their share of wheat which amounted to 10 maunds of the crop and urged the Mukhtiarkar of Khipro to take notice of it.

They regretted that the landlord and the ASI had threatened to implicate them in false cases if they did not withdraw the application submitted to the Mukhtiarkar.

They further said that Pancho Bheel, their leader, also went to the Khipro police station in an attempt to submit an application after he received threats of dire consequences but the effort remained fruitless.

They further said that the ASI and the landlord along with their armed henchmen reached the house of Pancho Bheel on April 2 and kidnapped 17 members of his family, including his wife Miran Bheel, Mohan, Chandoo, Balam, Moulchand, Dayaram, Aarib, Sakina, Badal , Mohant, Sita, Jumo, Dhoori, Hariyan, Punhoon and Babu.

They said the Khipro police were supporting the kidnappers.