DADU, Feb 15: At least 29 FIRs have been registered against local landlords in 22 separate raids in connection with a drive against water theft from distributaries originating from the Dadu Canal and the Johi Branch.

At least 20 persons have been arrested in this connection.

According to details, the irrigation department had constituted three special teams, led by executive engineer Habibullah Kabooro, on the directives of the provincial secretary for irrigation.

These teams had raided farms along waterways, including Bego Dero, Seri, Nari Left, Nari Right, Sita, Lakhair, Piaro Goth, Rukkan, Khariro, Wasai, Bambha and Thariri and found marks of tampering along 29 watercourses.

These tampered watercourses were sealed and FIRs were registered in the following police stations: Sita Road, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, and Dadu.

Those, who have been nominated in the FIRs, include Haroon, Ashraf, Qurban Ali Kolachi, Deedar Khoso, Qasim Leghari, Sharif, Mehar, Mukhtiar, Haji Dino, Roshan Leghari, Haji Hassan and Sawan.

When contacted, Mr Kabooro said that raids had been conducted in all the sub-divisions of the district to stop water theft, enabling the growers at the tail-ends of the waterways to get adequate water.

He also said over 20 persons had been arrested by the Johi, Dadu, Bhan Saeedabad, Phulji, Rukkan and Khairpur Nathan Shah police.

ARRESTED: Four bandits, identified as Ali Haider alias Haidroo, Mumtaz alias Munoo Sodhar, Wazir Jalbani and Ashiq Hussain Jalbani, were arrested on Saturday by the Mehar police for looting vehicles on the Dadu-Larkana Indus Highway.