SUKKUR: Dacoits kidnapped two officials of Shikarpur office of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, and a police head constable when their vehicle got stuck up on a muddy patch along Nasir Wah (water channel) near Thull town, Jacobabad district, on Wednesday.

Police officials said that when SSGC officers, Zahid Ali Abro (supervisor), Abdul Qayoom (engineer) and their police guard, Head Constable Asghar Noonari, were returning to Shikarpur after checking a gas valve, their vehicle stuck up on a muddy patch at Nasir Wah.

As the driver Asghar Ali Ansari was trying to pull out of the mud, a gang of armed dacoits struck them and kidnapped the officers and the policeman, they said.

The dacoits released the driver Asghar Ansari after covering some distance and took away Zahid Ali Abro, Abdul Qayoom and Head Constable Asghar Noonari along with his official G-3 rifle to unknown location, they said.

The driver reached Jungle police check-post and informed police about the incident after which a large contingent of police force cordoned off the area.

Jacobabad SSP Saddam Hussain Khaskheli told local media persons that the police had launched an operation for the recovery of hostages. Police would recover the hostages at all costs and send the kidnappers behind bars, he said.

The sources said that the kidnapping might be in retaliation for police actions against dacoits two days back when police conducted an operation to arrest killers of martyred police official Muqeem Khoso and demolished houses of notorious criminal, Machoo Banglani.

They said that it was believed Machoo Banglani, along with his accomplices, had kidnapped the two SSGC officers and a policeman.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2025