KHAIRPUR, March 19 With the kidnapping of one more trader of Khuhra town near Daraza late on Wednesday night, the number of recently kidnapped people in the district has risen to 13.

Reports said that Khalil Ahmed Shaikh, a trader, was kidnapped when he was returning to Khuhra town from Hingorja on a motorcycle. His captors threw the vehicle into a ditch before taking him away, which was spotted by some villagers and brought to Ranipur police station.

Khalil's relatives came to the police station after he disappeared on the way back home and identified his motorcycle, confirming that he had been kidnapped.

Police and relatives followed the kidnappers' footprints but could not go any further because they led to National Highway where the footprints were almost unidentifiable.

On Thursday, residents of Hingorja town protested against Khalil's kidnapping on the National Highway.

On Wednesday, a man was kidnapped in the jurisdiction of Sadiq Kalhoro police station and about eight armed men kidnapped two villagers, Deedar Hussain Zangejo and Mohammad Rafique Simang, in the jurisdiction of Sadiq Kalhoro police station, Gambat taluka.

Deedar Hussain Zangejo escaped and kidnappers took away Mohammad Rafique Simang.