SUKKUR: The police force engaged in a months-long ‘grand operation’ against dacoit gangs in the riverine area of upper Sindh on Monday raided the residence of Sardar Tegho Khan Teghani – one of the most powerful feudal lords of Sindh – and rounded up an unspecified number of men very close to him.

The raid by a strong contingent of police along with commandos was conducted on the expiry of a 24-hour ultimatum to the Sardar for the release of an SHO and his two subordinates from the captivity of a gang.

SHO Gul Mohammad Mahar and constables Nabidad Mangi and Ghulam Sarwar had been kidnapped when they entered a gang-infested area on Saturday (July 8) to liberate a boy, six-year-old Farhan Ali Soomro, from the captivity of a gang.

It emerged on Monday that the kidnappers had trapped the SHO by contacting him to offer safe release of the boy under some deal. As the SHO and his subordinates fell into the trap, the kidnappers demanded Rs4 million ransom for the release of SHO Mahar alone, sources said.

Sardar Tegho Khan Teghani was given 24-hour ultimatum for release of hostages

They said that the police force had surrounded the Sardar’s residence upon receiving a tip-off about presence of the hostages somewhere within the riverine area of Garhi Tegho in the Kandkot-Kashmore district. The police believed that the gang that had been holding the policemen hostage could not disregard the Sardar’s order if he obliged the DIG and SSP concerned. Accordingly, Kandhkot-Kashmore SSP Irfan Ali Sammo gave the Sardar a 24-hour ultimatum warning him that a raid would be conducted on his residence and he could be arrested if he did not cooperate in getting the policemen freed.

As soon as deadline expired on Monday evening, a strong contingent of police led by SSP Sammo moved into action in Garhi Tegho, the sources said, adding that commandos were also part of the police force.

Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) rolled into the riverine area and advanced towards Sardar Tegho Khan Teghani’s residence demolishing and torching all structures (purportedly used as hideouts by gangs) in their way. Heavily armed personnel kept firing into the air to warn gangsters against offering any resistance.

However, the SSP was quoted as saying, fierce gun battles also took place with gangsters in the area. There were no reports of casualties till the last reports came in at around midnight.

The police have rounded up a number of suspects during the action, the sources said. They included several men close to the Sardar, they added.

Sardar Teghani rushes to his home town

During the ultimatum time, Sardar Teghani left Karachi to rush to Kandhkot. While leaving the metropolis, he told the media that he never supported criminals. “Rather, I always cooperated with police in every action against criminal gangs,” he said.

The police have, meanwhile, sealed off Garhi Tegho and deployed officers and personnel at all its entry/exit points.

A search for the kidnapped SHO and his two subordinates was under way.

Kidnappers’ trap

According to sources, SHO Mahar and his colleagues had entered the riverine area of Garhi Tegho (which doesn’t fall with in Kandhkot but is part of Shikarpur police limits) without taking latter on board. It didn’t go down well with the Shikarpur police also, Mohammad Hussain Khan in Hyderabad reports.

SSP Sammo, speaking to Dawn over phone, rejected the reports of a deal between Mahar’s family and dacoits, saying he (SSP) was personally present in the riverine area. He conceded that SHO did commit a mistake by losing sight of the fact that he was being trapped by dacoits on the pretext of handing over some hostage. “We had been operating in area for a week. In the meantime, the SHO got dacoits’ message that he will be handed over some hostage but this turned out to be a trap,” said the SSP.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023