‘To protect and serve’: Kidnappings, highway robberies abolished, says Sukkur SSP

Sharing figures, official claims crime rate considerably reduced from last year

SUKKUR: The crime rate in Sukkur district dropped a whopping 82 per cent in 2015 compared to last year's statistics, according to SSP Tanveer Hussain Tunio.

Sharing a report regarding police performance in his tenure between June 2014 and December 2015, the official said the menace of kidnapping for ransom and highway robberies has been rooted out completely.

Meanwhile, the operation against dacoits, launched two weeks ago in Bagerji forest, is continuing in full swing and will not end till the elimination of the last dacoit, he claimed.



In 2015, the Sukkur police, under the federal government's National Action Plan, registered 81 cases and arrested 30 persons for violating the loudspeaker ban. Similarly, wall-chalking and flags of banned outfits throughout the district were also removed, along with the arrest of two persons whose names were in the fourth schedule [of the Anti Terrorism Act], said Tunio.

Taking action against illegal immigrants, the district police also arrested 55 Afghan nationals, who reportedly crossed into Pakistan illegally. Moreover, during this period, 119 alleged criminals were arrested and arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession.



According to the SSP, the Sukkur police carried out 350 targeted operations in different areas of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.

High-profile 'encounter'

Notorious robber, Nazroo Narejo, who carried a bounty of Rs20 million, was killed in a police encounter in July this year, along with over 25 notified criminals with a combined head money of Rs34.1 million; who were either killed or captured, he said.

Kidnappings

With regards to kidnapping for ransom gangs, the report revealed that Sukkur police also killed 11 members of a gang involved in highway robberies and kidnappings for ransom. The group would kidnap prominent people, especially traders, who woul d be travelling early morning in connection with their businesses. Sukkur police chased the criminals in different areas, including Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Karachi, Badin, Larkana, Shikarpur, Ghotki, and Sadiqabad and Rahimyar Khan in Punjab, to eliminate them, he said. The number of kidnapping victims recovered during the period was said to be 30.

Sharing statistics of the overall police performance from June 2014 to December 28, 2015, the SSP said a total of 244 encounters took place between police and dacoits, during which two policemen were martyred and as many injured, while 47 dacoits were killed.

Besides, eight kidnappers and three notified dacoits were also killed, while 351 dacoits including several wanted ones were arrested.

Arms and ammunition

Detailing the recovery of arms and ammunition in carious raids, Tunio stated that thirty two Kalashnikovs, one rocket launcher, two hand grenades, two haven guns, 46 shotguns, 221 pistols, eight rifles, and six revolvers were recovered, along with 215 cartridges and 5,942 rounds, among others.

Booze recovered

During the period, 301 bottles of wine and 287 liters of liquor were recovered. Police also arrested 504 proclaimed offenders and 2,043 absconders, besides recovering 16 stolen cars, 82 motorcycles and seven other vehicles.

Traffic fines

It was further revealed that 19,703 traffic tickets were issued for various violations and an amount of Rs1.51 million was recovered in fines.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2015.