Police ambushed in kutcha area

Constable martyred, 2 officials injured in shootout

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

An Elite Force constable was martyred and two other officials injured in a shootout after outlaws attacked a police picket in the riverine area of Rajanpur.

Elite Force Constable Haji Mohammad was martyred, and an ASI and another constable severely injured in the crossfire. The injured personnel were transferred to the Sheikh Zaid Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan.

The funeral prayer for the martyred constable was offered at the Police Lines in Rajanpur. The prayer was attended by Punjab Minister Sher Ali Gorchani, South Punjab Police Additional IG Mohammad Kamran Khan and other officials, who also visited checkpoints in the kutcha area.

The bandits attacked the Lounda post in the Bangla Achha area of Rajanpur on Thursday night. As a result of the attack, Elite Force Constable Haji Mohammad was martyred, while ASI Mohammad Siddique and Constable Rafiq were injured.

Rajanpur DPO Dost Muhammad arrived at the scene with a heavy police contingent and a fierce exchange of gunfire with the attackers continued until late in the night.

The Punjab Police IG sought a report from Regional Police Officer (RPO) Captain (retd) Sajad Hassan Khan. He said 48 police officials have been martyred and dozens injured during operations against criminals in the riverine area.

He said Constable Haji Muhammad had sacrificed his life in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of citizens. Measures will be taken on priority for the welfare of the martyr's family. According to the district police, the attackers fired at the checkpoint in Rajanpur from a spot where they were hiding.

The additional IG of South Punjab met the family of the martyr to offer condolences and paid tribute to him.

He assured the family that the attackers would be brought to justice.

Dera Ghazi Khan RPO Sajad Hassan vowed to continue targeted operations against robbers in the area. After the funeral prayers, the body was sent to the native village of the martyr.

He has left his mother, father, wife and five children. In an earlier incident, over a dozen bandits had attacked the police checkpoint at Bhong Dam in Rahim Yar Khan last week from the direction of the Indus river.

According to officials, the attack had been carried out to avenge the killing of four accomplices of the attackers in a police encounter.

The attack had left three constables of the Punjab Constabulary, Jahangir, Imtiaz and Tariq, martyred. In addition, Machhka SHO Rana Muhammad Ramzan had died because of heart attack during the attack and a police constable had been injured.

Following a decision of the National Security Council in 2023, an operation was carried out in the kutcha areas by the Rangers.

During the operation, 10 bandits were killed, more than 40 had surrendered, and their 66 facilitators had been arrested. Over 50 hideouts had been destroyed.

Local sources said major gang leaders of the area had fled during the operation to the hilly areas of Sindh and Balochistan, but they have now reorganised and are attacking the police again.

Last year, more than 20,000 acres of land had been cleared of criminals.

To establish the rule of law in the area, the Punjab Police had decided to set up base camps in Rojhan and Bangla Achha, which are still under construction and not yet functional.