LARKANA, Feb 11: Police have safely recovered three students from the kutcha area of Madeji after a brief encounter with the kidnappers on Sunday night.

Talking to Dawn on Monday, in-charge SSP of Larkana Abrar Hussain said that after receiving information, police had raided the area of Madeji where the three students had been kept.

The outlaws opened fire and after a brief encounter, police arrested one kidnapper and recovered Suhail Bhutto, Azhar Kehar and Majid Kehar. Other criminals fled under the cover of fire.

The three students, who are residents of Agani village, were kidnapped on Jan 9 when they were going to their village from Larkana.

According to the police officer, the arrested dacoit was identified as Nizam Jeho, a cousin of notorious dacoit Suleman Jeho.

Nizam Jeho had phoned the heirs of the kidnapped victims and demanded Rs8 million as ransom, but later reduced the amount to just Rs50,000, police sources said.

KHAIRPUR: Police claimed to have recovered a man from the kidnappers after an encounter early on Monday in the jurisdiction of Abdul Rehman Unnar police station.

He was identified as Karamat Jogi, 35.

Khairpur police said they had received information about the movement of a dacoits gang in Katcha area.

They raided the place and recovered the victim after an encounter with the outlaws.

Karamat, who is said to be a poor person, was kidnapped from Nandhi Thari area of taluka Thari Mirwah about two months ago.