QUETTA: Two Levies force personnel were martyred during an operation in the Luni area of Duki district on Sunday, according to officials.

A Levies team, headed by Duki Assistant Commissioner Zahoor Ahmed Baloch, conducted a raid in the Killi Majanzai locality on a tip-off about the presence of Amanullah Majanzai, an absconder accused of involvement in heinous crimes.

The security personnel came under heavy fire as they cordoned off the alleged hideout of the absconder.

Two Levies officials, including the Quick Response Fo­r­ce team head, were martyred in the heavy exch­ange of fire, as per Risaldar Major Ali Mohammad Sadozai.

They were identified as Obaidullah Achakzai and Mohammad Qasim Baloch, hailing from Loralai. Their bodies were shifted to a local hospital.

A heavy contingent of Levies and Frontier Corps arrived at the scene following the shootout and conducted a search operation during which the absconder also got injured in the exchange of fire. He was later arrested, along with four others, by the security forces, officials said.

Duki Deputy Commissioner Fayyaz Ali said the suspects had demanded Rs100 million as extortion money from the contractor who is working on the the Duki-Chamalang Road at a cost of Rs7 billion. He also snatched machinery from the contractor, according to the DC.

CM Domki ordered the officials to take strict action against the outlaws.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023