SUKKUR: The 138 (9mm) pistols taken away by unknown outlaws from the custody of police could not be traced out 24 hours after the heist as a number of raids were carried out at suspected places in different parts of Jacobabad and Ghotki districts in Sindh, as well as in Dera Allahyar in Balochistan.

The pistols were seized during search of a truck by a police patrol in Jacobabad and were sent to the Larkana forensic lab for examination. The investigation officer, Ab­dul Aziz Qureshi, had obtained an authority letter to take custody of the weapons after forensic examination. He was supposed to transport the weapons (case property) back to Jacobabad. However, the IO loaded the weapons in a private car, instead of an official vehicle, and travelled to Jacobabad without intimating his superiors and also without going for a police escort.

While the car was parked near a teashop along a section of highway in Jacobabad district when some outlaws took it over and got away with the vehicle and the weapons. He, along with his two colleagues,

head muharars (writers) Ghulam Murtaza Sanjrani and Shehzad Ansari, were suspended, booked and arrested hours after the incident. They are facing the charge of complicity with the outlaws who were, according to sources, associates of the two suspects arrested for smuggling the arms on October 2 by their truck.

Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar on Tuesday took notice of the heist and ordered police to take immediate action to recover the weapons and arrest the culprits. Accordingly, raids were conducted on many places in Sindh and Balochistan but no clue to the weapons or the outlaws was found till late Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, Jacobabad SSP Saddam Hussain Khaskhali told the media that a vigorous search and hunt operation was launched to recover the weapons. He hoped that the target would be achieved soon.

It was learnt that the Jacobabad CIA was also mobilised in this regard.

The Shikarpur police also registered a case on the complaint of SHO Saeed Jamali against 11 suspects, including IO Abdul Aziz Qureshi and head muharars Ghulam Murtaza Sanjrani and Shehzad Ansari, who were posted at the city’s Saddar police station. The FIR was lodged at the Stuart Ganj police station of Shikarpur district.

The FIR has accused the suspects of complicity with the suspects who took away the case property under a conspiracy.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2024