Chhotu surrender reports not confirmed

LAHORE: The 22-day-long Operation Zarb-e-Ahan against Ghulam Rasool alias Chhottu culminated with the surrender of the feared dacoit along with his gang-members before the army in Katcha Jamal on the left bank of River Indus some 10 kilometres south of Bangla Icchha on Tuesday evening, The News has learnt.

Nevertheless, the army didn’t confirm or deny the surrender of the Chhottu Gang. There were reports, though, saying the police had confirmed the surrender of the gang and release of all the captives.

Earlier in the evening, sources revealed the Chhottu Gang had surrendered to the army after getting surrounded in its citadel in Kacha Jamal. This surrender was the outcome of mediation of important local Sardars from the Mazari tribe (Tumman).

A bigwig from Rohjhan, the last tehsil of Punjab in the district Rajanpur on the right bank of River Indus, tried to facilitate the surrender through media persons already in touch with Chhotu.

It was learnt the agencies, which were already active, ensured the success of the operation through direct contacts of local Sardars with Chhotu, capitalising on the existing influence of the Mazari tribe in that part of the Katchha Area. The breakthrough was made on Tuesday evening with talks replacing the guns. The same Sardars had earlier helped the police recover the bodies of police officials killed last week. At that time, the Sardars had acquired the services of mediators.

It was also learnt that around 50 crime cases of different nature, including some under 7 ATA, have already been registered against the Chhotu. According to sources, Chhotu would be tried in civil courts.