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Thursday March 28, 2024

Two Sindh Police officers killed in encounter with dacoits

Interestingly, all the Sindh police casualties happened inside an armored personal carrier.

By Imdad Soomro
June 03, 2019

KARACHI: Two police officers were Sunday gunned down and four inured during an exchange of fire with dacoits in Shah-Belo forest area of Shikarpur and Sukkur districts.

Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Ghulam Mustafa Mirani and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Zulfiqar Panwar were killed and four police officials injured during the exchange of fire. The deceased were identified as Lakhi Ghulam Shah Station House Officer (SHO) Ghulam Murtaza Mirani and Assistant Sub-Inspector Zulfikar Ali Panwar, while ASI Shahzaib, Saddam Dayo, Ghulam Rasool and Saddam Marfani were wounded.

As the Shikarpur police launched an operation on a tip-off against the dacoits in Shah-Belo kacha area, miscreants opened fire on a police team headed by Inspector Ghulam Mustafa Mirani.

During the exchange of fire, Inspector Mirani and ASI Panwar died on the spot, while four constables were seriously injured.

Interestingly, all the police casualties happened inside an armored personal carrier. Upon receiving reports, heavy police contingents reached the site and began search for the suspects.

According to the area people, the police casualties occurred due to the ill-planning of police and substandard APC.

However, police sources claim that the dacoits used specific steel bullets, which pierced the APC walls, killing and injuring the personnel.

IGP Syed Kaleem Imam took notice of killing of two police officers and directed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Larkana to submit to him a detailed report on the incident. The IGP also announced Rs10 million and two jobs each for the affected families as compensation.

One million rupees compensation was also announced for each injured constable.

Shah-Belo forest, which touches the boundaries of Shikarpur and Sukkur districts, is considered a sanctuary for known gangs of dacoits and miscreants.

Despite repeated operations in the last 20 years, the police and law-enforcement agencies have failed to clear the area of criminals and outlaws.

The area is termed untouchable as was the Kacha Jamal of Rajanpur, Punjab which was famous for notorious Chotoo gang. It is pertinent to mention here that the top police officers of Sindh police remained under the NAB investigation for purchasing substandard APCs, bulletproof vehicles and other heads.

References had also been filed against them with the Accountability Court, Karachi.

The NAB inquiries relate to embezzlement in purchase of Closed-Circuit TV Cameras (CCTVs), procurement of police uniforms, ration for non-existing messes of police department, feeding charges, purchase and repair of APCs, procurement of civil works, over and under invoicing and embezzlements in POL.

According to the NAB documents, huge funds were embezzled in a US government funded Rs1.8 billion project of installation of 1,600 units of CCTV cameras at 400 different positions of Karachi, installation of 160 five-megapixel cameras of specific standard, 40 switches and 8 IBM servers and support equipment.

An amount of Rs323.97 million was embezzled in Video Surveillance Project of Hyderabad, Qamabar, Matiari, Larkana, Nawabshah, Jacobabad, Kashmore and Ghotki, Rs156 million was embezzled in feeding charges, Rs25.7 million in cost of investigation, Rs465 million in repair and maintenance of bullet-proof vehicles, Rs418 million in purchase of uniforms and Rs134.7 million in repair of buildings.