LARKANA, Jan 9: The Kambar police claimed to have recovered two kidnap victims and arrested a dacoit, Wahab Mughiri, on Wednesday after a brief encounter with the outlaws.

Agha Shar, 30, and Muhammed Nawaz Shar were abducted on Jan 6, 2012, from Ratokot village in Larkana district.

Kambar-Shahdadkot SSP Dr Farukh Lanjar told Dawn that acting on a tip-off the police cordoned off the area of Shal deep into the Khirthar range within the remit of the Gaibidero police station.

The kidnappers tried to escape, but police siege contained their movement.

In the ensuing shoot-out, the criminals left behind Agha Shar and Muhammed Nawaz Shar and fled. Dacoit Wahab Mughiri was also arrested with a rifle, the SSP said, adding that the two men had been abducted by the gang of Wishoon (scorpion) Chandio.

The recovered victims were produced before journalists at a press conference in Kambar.

They said cock-fighting was their hobby. On Jan 6, their friend Waheed Chandio asked them to accompany him to purchase some roosters who had won many fights. When they reached Dost Ali Bangla village, three armed men stopped their car and got them to get off the vehicle at gunpoint.

They said the armed men took them to their hideouts in the mountains and they had not seen Waheed Chandio since then. Perhaps he had links with the kidnappers, they said.—BoC