SUKKUR: A major operation carried out by a police force drawn from Hyderabad, Dadu, Larkana and Shikapur districts ended up in the killing of a hostage — a Hyderabad-based fruit trader — and a taxi driver, whom the police declared a ‘dacoit’.

The operation was launched in the riverine area of Darkhan, situated within Garhi Yasin taluka of Shikarpur district to free the trader, Hassan Nasir Nizamani, who was kidnapped in Hyderabad on October 11 and taken into the gang-infested riverine area. The kidnappers had demanded Rs150m as ransom.

Soon after the operation on Thursday night, the police came out with the claim that one dacoit was killed and another one was arrested but the kidnappers shot dead their hostage during the exchange of fire.

They named the killed ‘dacoit’ as Aijaz Babar, but his wailing sister, while collecting his body, told local reporters at the Shikarpur Civil Hospital that her brother was a taxi driver, and not a dacoit. She said Aijaz Babar used to operate his cab in Karachi and Hyderabad and that their family had long been leading a poor life. “Had he been a dacoit, we may have had a luxurious lifestyle,” she argued.

Media personnel in Hydera­bad, Sukkur and Shikarpur repor­ted that Hassan Nasir Nizamani was kidnapped while he was visiting his mango orchards in the Rahako area of Hyderabad district on October 11. The very next day, his family had lodged a missing report at the Rahako police station. Later, the police were informed that the kidnappers, using Mr Nizamani’s mobile phone, contacted the family and demanded Rs150m for his release.

The Hyderabad SSP took notice of the incident and formed an investigation team, besides ordering a search operation.

The investigators, using modern technology, found whereabouts of the hostage. Establishing that the hostage and his kidnappers must be in the riverine area Darkhan, the information was passed on to the top officials of the police department.

Accordingly, a police force comprising officers and personnel from the Hyderabad, Dadu, Larkana and Shikapur districts was formed and dispatched to Darkhan. The police force, led by Dadu SSP Amir Saood Magsi and Larkana SSP Rohal Khoso, challenged the kidnappers on Thursday night which lead to a fierce gun battle between the two sides.

A statement issued by the police force claimed that one dacoit was gunned down and another one was arrested during the operation but the hostage [Hassan Nisar Nizamani] was later found killed in a village along Hayat Wah (irrigation channel). It said he might have been killed by his kidnappers.

It said that at one stage, Hassan Nisar’s relatives were ready to pay the ransom money to the kidnappers but police did not allow them to do so.

While the operation was in progress, Hyderabad DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo remained in Ratodero to monitor its progress.

Speaking to the media on Friday, DIG Dharejo confidently claimed that Mr Nizamani’s servant was involved in his abduction, explaining that the servant and kidnappers had planned the abduction before it was executed. Local reporters guessed that the DIG was alluding to Aijaz Babar.

The DIG said that slain suspect’s criminal record was being collected.

In the meantime, a video showing Aijaz’s body went viral on the social media and attracted attention of his sister, who travelled from her home in Khairpur to Shikarpur and collected the body.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2024