SHIKARPUR, Jan 25: The police have claimed to free two kidnap victims from the clutches of kidnappers after an encounter with them on Rato Shakh link road in Larkana district late Thursday night.

Shikarpur DPO Mansoor Mughal told journalists that he received spy information that two men, who had been kidnapped from Shikarpur district, were being shifted by the kidnappers on motorcycles.

The DPO said that he deployed a heavy police contingent in groups to seal exit and entry points of Shikarpur district. As the kidnappers saw the police, they opened fire which was returned by the police.

After an encounter which lasted for half an hour, Mr Mughal said, the kidnappers fled, leaving behind the kidnap victims — Babu Lal and Jaipal Das, resident of Jacobabad — in a ditch.

The DPO said that 40 days ago, a gang of kidnappers intercepted a wagon on Shikarpur-Jacobabad road in the jurisdiction of the Sultankot police and kidnapped five people, Wazir Ali Mahar, Shankar Lal, Raj Kumar, Jaipal Das and Babu Lal.

The Shikarpur police had recovered Wazir Ali, Shankar Lal and Raj Kumar few days ago, he said.