SUKKUR, May 5: A 10-day ultimatum given by police to residents of Kutcho area in the Shah Belo forest to vacate the area ended on Wednesday while many families have moved to other areas.

Police gave the ultimatum to get the area vacated by the villagers as they intend to launch a decisive operation against bandits hiding in the forest. According to the police sources, the bandits have threatened to kill the villagers if they tried to vacate the area.

Meanwhile, police claimed to engage two bandits, who were busy in wheat harvesting, in an encounter and then arrest them in the forest on. Police recovered two Kalashnikovs, 70 stolen heads of cattle and a huge stock of wheat from their possession.

However, police declined to disclose the names of those arrested. Police have established three more checkposts around the forest and is supposed to receive more arms and ammunition in a day or two which are coming from Karachi. Four hundred policemen have been summoned from Larkana and Khairpur to take part in the operation.

ACCIDENT: Fourteen passengers were injured when a Karachi-bound bus, coming from Gujranwala, overturned on the National highway near Dubbar, Sukkur district, on Tuesday night.

The bus overturned due to negligence of the driver, who, according to the passengers, had fallen asleep. Those injured - including Azizan, Allah Ditta, Mushtaq, Mumtaz and Allah Dino - were brought to Civil Hospital here.

KILLED: A youth was gunned down by assailants in Mohammad Khan Agro village, Muhabat Dero area, Naushahro Feroze district, on Tuesday night. Amjad Hussain, 20, was sitting outside his house when three armed men appeared on the scene, shot him dead and fled.