LARKANA, March 16: On the call of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) and the Ratodero Citizens Alliance, strike was observed in Ratodero and Dakhan towns on Sunday to protest against kidnapping of three persons.

Led by JSQM chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi, the protestors were assembling at the Indus Highway when they got the news that the kidnappers had killed one of the hostages, Ghulam Mustafa, son of Faiz Mohammad Sangro, and thrown his body near Ghanghra Shakh.

They returned to the hospital where the body had been brought and, after taking the body, started marching towards Dakhan.

The protestors staged a sit-in on the Indus Highway.

The DPO of Shikarpur arrived at scene but he failed to persuade the protesters to end the blockade.

The situation became tense when Mr Qureshi and Azhar Kamariyo exchanged hot words over handing over the body to relatives of the deceased.

Later, the body was handed over to the relatives who buried it in Habib Sangro village.

Area people said a letter had been recovered from the pocket of the deceased in which the kidnappers had demanded Rs600,000 each for release of the hostages within 20 days, with a threat to kill the hostages if the demand was not met.

Naveed Soomro, Mumtaz Markhyani, Gul Bahar Sanghro, Waheed Larik, Samiullah Larik, Shaukat Sanghro, Wazeer Junijo, Jumman Abro and Yaseen Massan are still in the clutches of the bandits.

The sit-in that began at 12 noon ended at 8.15pm after the DPO held an assurance the kidnapped victims would be recovered within 15 days.