One killed, six outlaws arrested in shootout | 11,000 policemen taking part in operation | IGP says writ of the state will be established in area | Police posts will be restored and the hideouts of the criminals would be destroyed.

RAHIM YAR KHAN      -    Punjab police on Sunday launched operation in the Kacha area of dis­trict Rahim Yar Khan and neighbor­ing areas adjacent to the Ghotki dis­trict in Sindh against dacoit gangs. 

Following decision of National Security Council (NSC), the Punjab police will combat the dacoit gangs. According to the police handout, the IGP Punjab himself led Sunday’s op­eration in the Kacha area. As many as 11,000 policemen participated in the large-scale operation against dacoits. More reinforcement com­prising 2,000 policemen equipped with latest weapons and armoured vehicles will join the operation.

The IGP said that during operation, the police posts will be restored and the hideouts of the criminals would be destroyed and demolished to re­store complete peace in the area and writ of the state. Dacoits attacked police and fired at Punjab Inspector-General of Police Dr Usman Anwar and District Police Officer (DPO) Rizwan Umar Gondal. One head con­stable was injured in the shootout. The operation is being conducted under the supervision of Punjab IG and is accompanied by Regional Po­lice Officer (RPO) Bahawalpur Rai Babar Saeed and DPO Rahim Yar Khan. The IGP said one dacoit was killed and six were arrested while a head constable sustained injuries in this operation on Sunday.

IGP, in a press conference, said that an intelligence-based opera­tion was already in progress against the criminals in the Kacha area but on Sunday a grand operation against the dacoit gangs had been launched. He said that the premiere intelligence agency of the country and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had kept an eye on the activi­ties of criminals in this area and all the facilitators will be treated like terrorists who claim that girls could not go to schools. He said that fa­cilitators would have to choose one side, whether they would support the police or criminals. 

He further said that the office of DIG CTD was being shifted at Rahim Yar Khan and in the next few days and good news against the crimi­nals will come. He added that a strict operation was need of the hour to maintain law and order in the area. The IGP said the whole area will be cleared of all types of criminals who were gathering here. According to National Security Council (NSC) de­cisions all the resources will be pro­vided to the police. “We have an ideal time to launch police operation and all the check posts will be cleared be­fore the release of water in the river, he said. The operation was started in Machka and Kacha Karachi ar­eas where many hideouts of dacoits were eliminated. The dacoits were seen with neat and ironed clothes and with “Hawai Chappal” in the pic­tures shared by police.