RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Punjab police on Sunday claimed to have successfully ‘rescued’ constable Ahmed Nawaz, who was held hostage by the Shar dacoit gang.

However, the kutcha area dacoits, in a video clip, have claimed that Nawaz has been freed as part of a ‘deal’ involving return of their accomplice, Jabbar Lolai, a member of the notorious Indhar dacoit gang.

Nawaz was kidnapped by the Shar dacoit gang in the kutcha area on Aug 22 during an assault on a police party. Twelve police personnel were martyred, and eight others injured in the attack in the Machka area of Rahim Yar Khan district.

According to a police spokesperson, Nawaz was kidnapped by dacoits on Aug 22. Rahim Yar Khan District Police Officer Rizwan Umar Gondal said that Nawaz’s recovery was a top priority and an achievement for the police.

Later in the day, Inspector General of Pol­ice Dr Usman Anwar met Constable Nawaz’s family to congratulate them on the safe return of the police constable.

However, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the circumstances of Mr Nawaz’s release.

The katcha area dacoits claimed that he has been freed as part of a deal involving the return of their accomplice, Jabbar Lolai, a member of the notorious Indhar Gang.

A video circulated on social media showed the dacoits celebrating Lolai’s return at their hideout, including a conversation with Tanvir Indhar, who has a Rs10 million bounty for his arrest. The dacoits were seen firing guns in celebration.

In another viral video on social media, Shahid Lund, the ringleader of the Lund gang, accused some journalists of spreading false information at the behest of certain political figures.

He said the government has released a list of dacoits from Punjab and Sindh with head money on them.

He called the number given in the Punjab Home Department’s head money advertisement, saying that the real culprits behind the deaths of policemen in Machka have not been named in the list.

Lund also claimed that police officers, who were failing in their duties, were responsible for the deaths of policemen in the kutcha area.

He criticised the Machka SHO for ignoring requests for help from the trapped policemen for four hours. Lund advised the authorities to remove the list of ‘innocent people’ and prepare a new list of criminals.

When contacted, a police spokesperson denied any deal has been made with the dacoits for the release of Constable Nawaz. He said the police would continue their struggle to eliminate criminals in Kacha area until the end.

In a related development, a truck driver transporting stones for the reinforcement of a protective bund was kidnapped by the Lund dacoit gang near the Jamaldinwali area, 40km from Rahim Yar Khan, on Sunday morning.

Four trucks loaded with stones were going to the protective bund on the left bank of the Indus River when the Lund gang comprising six to eight dacoits intercepted them and abducted one of the drivers, identified as Ahad.

A local resident confirmed the kidnapping.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2024