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Thursday March 28, 2024

Police ask home dept to fix head money on 300 notorious criminals

By Salis bin Perwaiz
November 22, 2022

The Sindh Police Department has sent a list of 300 notorious criminals to the home department to fix their head money. The criminals include those on the wanted list of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and many of them are of the Kutcha areas.

Officials said the police have suggested Rs5 million as the minimum head money of Kutcha areas’ criminals and Rs10 million as the maximum. They said the move comes after a meeting held a few weeks ago with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in chair.

In the meeting attended by senior Sindh police officers, including IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon, the CM had ordered devising a comprehensive strategy to eliminate these criminals and also sought details from the police about the criminals on their wanted list.

Officials said the CM had directed them to increase their intelligence work in rural areas, and conduct all operations on the basis of intelligence from in future. For the operation against bandits, he said police officers of all Kutcha districts must devise a joint strategy.

The CM was informed that the police have identified all the criminals who took part in the incident in which cops were killed. He told the IGP to prepare a proposal to form a force in the Kutcha areas. He also ordered repairing and reconstructing roads in therough areas, stressing that he wants complete peace in the Kutcha areas, saying that the government will provide whatever budget is required.

The CM directed the IGP to put a price on the heads of the criminals. “I want the criminals who were involved in the killing of police personnel and officers behind bars.” He asked the police chief for a detailed report on the Ghotki incident, asking how this incident happened, and stressing that the report must cover every aspect. He said the sacrifices of the police in establishing law and order are never forgotten.

Officials said the IGP also held a meeting with his subordinates, including officials from interior Sindh like the Ghotki DPO. He also held a meeting with the CTD and sought details from them. The IGP was informed that the police had done continuous damage to criminals, but they have more weapons. The meeting devised an operation strategy, deciding that all resources will be given to police officers to bring the criminals to book.

The police chief told all the officers concerned to submit their suggestions, adding that they also provide the details of the weapons in use by the dacoits. The meeting decided that in the future a strategy will be devised to tackle robbers, for which recommendations are likely to be received during the next meeting.

They said that planning will be done in the light of the orders of provincial chief executive because the people involved in martyring policemen will not be spared under any circumstances.

Officials said that a list of 300 criminals has been finalised, including criminals of the Kutcha areas, adding that a letter was written to the home department, and now a summary has been sent to the CM Secretariat for the approval of the head money.

Officials said that a letter addressed to the IGP by the Sukkur Range that names the notified criminals reads: “A police camp was established at the house of dacoits in Laloo Shar for the recovery of three victims kidnapped a few days before by a gang of Rahib Shar and others.

“On November 6, at least 150 unknown suspects launched an assault on the police camp with heavy weapons. An encounter took place between the police and the armed culprits. Resultantly, five police officers and officials, including a DSP, were martyred and some were injured.

“An investigation that was conducted later found the involvement of Rajo Shar, Yaseen, Umar, Sajjan, Nazar Ali, Imdad, Tanveer, Jamal, Laloo (alias Fauji) and 85 others.”

The letter recommended that the matter be moved to the higher authorities to fix head money for their elimination. The letter stressed that it is crucial to curb them and to strengthen the writ of law in the Kutcha area of District Ghotki.

The letter pointed out that fixing head money is imperative to get first-hand information on the hideouts and movements of dacoits. The letter reminded that the dacoits involved in martyring the cops had already been recommended for fixing head money by the district on August 26.

It said that issuing a notification on the request is still pending. The list includes the names of Rahib (alias Kalsoom Shar), Khuda Bux (alias Kouraro) and Jan Muhammad for fixing their head money at Rs10 million, and 13 others.

Officials said the IGP also seeks the details and list of criminals to be notified from the CTD and the Special Branch. So far a list of 300 criminals has been compiled and sent to the home department with the suggestion to fix their head money.