RAHIMYAR KHAN, Feb 19: A proclaimed offender (PO) involved in kidnappings for ransom was killed in a shootout with the police in Bukhshabad in Bhong police precincts on Friday night. District Police Officer (DPO) Sohail Habib Tajik told reporters here on Saturday that Ashiq Husain Jhullan, alias Ashqi Jhullan, was among the top 10 criminals involved in kidnappings for ransom.

He said a police party headed by Jamaldinwali post in charge SI Basharat Niazi was patrolling the area when they spotted some armed suspects near the embankment of the Indus River.

The police asked the suspects to surrender on which they shot at the policemen who retaliated and one of the suspects identified as Ashiq Jhullan was killed in the ensuing shootout while his accomplices fled.

The DPO said Jhullan was involved in kidnappings for ransom, murders, dacoities registered with various police stations of Rajanpur, Multan, Okara, Rahimyar Khan and some districts of the Sindh province and had been declared a PO 22 years ago.

The DPO said the operation against kidnappers would continue with the cooperation of Rajanpur and Ghotki (Sindh) police beside Rangers.

Mr Tajik said Rahimyar Khan police would introduce the CCTV camera system in duty officers’ rooms in all police stations.—Correspondent