A ten-year-old boy, who was kidnapped by armed men from outside Mohammad Murad Loond village on Thursday, returned home on Friday morning.
Saleem Loond, son of Mohammad Ismail Loond, was returning to his village of Mohammad Murad Loond, when a group of armed men kidnapped him and fled. Witnesses informed the villagers about the kidnapping, who along with the police and footprint experts chased the kidnappers. Upon reaching Loco Pull village in Dad Leghari police limits, they had to turn back as the police told them that the area was extremely dangerous and they shouldn’t go any further.
The Loco Pull area is the stronghold of the Pitafi clan. The police and the villagers went to Bari Pitafi, son of the Sardar Ahmed Ali Pitafi, and requested his help in the recovery of the boy. Reports say that Bari Pitafi promised them that the boy would be rescued safely. The next morning Saleem’s family was informed by an anonymous caller that he had been released near Kandeer Shaikh. The police escorted Saleem home and handed him to his family. No case was registered.
Several villagers claimed that the kidnapping was a mistake. The Pitafis reportedly have a feud with the Mangra clan, and they wanted to kidnap a boy in revenge. But the boy who was the target managed to escape, and the armed men kidnapped Saleem instead.
An official at the Mirpur Mathelo police station said that the Saleem’s release was due to police pressure. However, Saleem’s uncle Mohammad Murad told The Express Tribune that they had informed their chief Sardar Fayaz Khan Loond as soon as the boy was kidnapped. “Our Sardar talked to Bari Khan Pitafi and asked him for the safe recovery of the boy,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 11th, 2011.
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