Bandits leave hostage after encounter with police in Garhi Tegho

SHIKARPUR: Katcha area dacoits after an exchange of fire with police left a hostage behind and fled from the scene here, a police official said on Thursday.

“Police engaged a gang of bandits in katcha area of Garhi Tegho, who escaped from the spot after shootout, leaving a hostage behind,” SSP Shahzaib Chachar told media here.

Police contingents have been sent in the area for search and arrest of fleeing dacoits, SSP Chachar further said.

A notorious dacoit from the Shikarpur, Fareed Teghani, was recently killed while his accomplice, Malan Mazari Teghani, was apprehended in an injured condition during a joint operation conducted by the police and Rangers in Garhi Tegho last month.

Police said that the killed dacoit was wanted in murders, kidnapping for ransom, and a range of other criminal offenses along the National Highway.

According to a police officer, dacoit Fareed Teghani lured multiple individuals into kidnapping through honey trap and subsequently demanded ransom.

Katcha area encompasses vast expanses of land on the banks of Indus River, mostly owned by numerous large landholders, many of whom also prominent figures in politics.

The area with presence of dense forests, shrubbery, and rugged terrain has been hotbed of illicit activities, and serving as a haven for outlaws and fugitives seeking refuge in the area.