HYDERABAD, April 27: Two alleged dacoits, Mohamamd Saleh Halepoto and Abdul Razaque Halepoto, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in the jurisdiction of the Tando Allahyar police station on Sunday.

However, the Tando Allahyar police claimed that the dacoits had been killed by their relatives on the insistence of the police as they had become a perennial problem for the villagers of the area.

Police claimed that the “informers” who had “cooperated” with the police “wanted to remain unidentified” as it would expose them to serious harm as the rest of the gang members of the dacoits killed might avenge their deaths.

The Tando Allahyar police claimed that the bodies of Saleh and Razaque were found in a water course, located in the fields of Dr Jalil Bachani, near Sajjan Halepoto Goth, on Sunday.

Around 313 bullets and police uniforms were found near their bodies.

Police claimed Medico Legal Officer Dr Latif Yousufani of Taluka hospital Tando Allahyar conducted their autopsy.

Saleh suffered bullet wounds and Razaque was apparently throttled to death, the SHO, Tando Allahyar police station, Inspector Noor-ul-Haque Rind, told this correspondent over the telephone.

He claimed that, in fact, the dacoits were invited by their relatives to a feast in the village where they were given some poisonous substance causing their deaths.

He claimed that those who had cooperated with the police did not want to make their names public and for security reasons, police also would not disclose their identities.

TWO MISSING: Two youths have gone missing and have not returned to their homes since Monday.