ATC awards death sentence to 20 gangsters including Chotu Gang members

RAJANPUR: At least 20 gangsters including those affiliated with infamous Chotu gang were awarded death sentence by the anti-terrorism court on Tuesday on charges of killing policemen in 2016.

The convicts also include the Chotu Gang leader Ghulam Rasool aka Chotu. The criminals were accused of murdering six policemen in Rajanpur three years ago.

The other gangs who have been convicted by the court were identified as Sikhani gang, Inder gang and Changwani gang.

Read: Security forces capture ‘Chotu Gang’ leader after 20-day battle

Police had sought help of Army and Rangers on April 13, 2016, in the fight against Chotu Gang in Rajanpur district following deaths of six policemen including a station house officer (SHO).

The river forests in Sindh and southern belt of Punjab have remain a hotbed of bandit gangs involved in kidnappings and other crimes on the both banks of the Indus River.

The areas are inaccessible and virtually remained a no-go area for police and other law enforcement agencies – thus an ideal refuge for the outlaws operating in the region.

Former chief minister of Punjab, Dost Muhammad Khosa at that time, had said it was not possible that bandits live in an area and the public representatives of the constituency were unaware of their presence.

He alleged that the gangsters enjoyed the backing of some members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).