27 dacoits killed, 123 arrested in ongoing Katcha operations: Sindh IGP

15 abductees recovered, some of whom had been held captive for up to three years

KARACHI:

Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho said on Friday that police conducted 113 encounters over the past month, killing 27 dacoits, injuring 82 others and arresting 123 suspects, including those who surrendered voluntarily.

Speaking to the media, Odho said the katcha belt had long posed a major challenge, with kidnapping for ransom, honey-trapping and organised armed crime on the rise.

He said the ongoing operation against dacoits in the katcha areas would continue until criminal networks were dismantled and the writ of the state fully restored.

He said criminal groups lured victims through fake sales offers or by using women’s voices to entrap individuals before abducting them. People from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab were also targeted and brought into the riverine areas, he added.

Odho said gangs had occupied state land, using it as operational bases, while ransom money was used to procure weapons

“Earlier they only possessed AK-47 rifles, but later acquired war-grade weapons. In some cases, they were better equipped than police personnel and even had ammunition capable of penetrating armoured personnel carriers,” he said. He added that the groups openly challenged the authority of the state through video statements and threats against police officials.

Read: Key dacoits surrender during Katcha operation

“Our effort was to give the bandits a befitting response, either eliminating them or forcing them to surrender,” he said, adding that government backing had strengthened police operations.

“Our effort was to give the bandits a befitting response, either eliminating them or forcing them to surrender,” he said, adding that government backing had strengthened police operations.

He said 15 abductees from different economic backgrounds had been recovered, some of whom had been held captive for up to three years in inhumane conditions.

Odho said many suspects were now attempting to establish contact with authorities. “In most cases, factors of fear and pressure have emerged. Many dacoits are reaching out and want to surrender themselves to the law,” he said.

He added that while some had shown willingness to lay down arms, others remained defiant. “Those who surrender will receive justice, while those who refuse will be dealt with firmly,” he said. 

The IGP said policing was inherently complex and that mistakes, whether intentional or otherwise, could occur.

He stressed that officers could not be removed merely due to pressure linked to rallies or protests. “If allegations are proven, strict action will be taken,” he added.

Odho said some hostages remained in the dacoits’ custody, but their exact number was not certain. “Even now, three or four hostages may still be held, but the situation will become clear once the operation is complete,” he said.

He added that both the number of hostages and the number of dacoits had declined. “They will either surrender, or we will deal with them firmly,” Odho said.

The IGP said the police had now reached areas that had previously been inaccessible. “It will no longer happen that any area remains a ‘no-go zone’,” he said, calling the decline of criminal activity in the katcha belt a “moral victory” for the police.

“God willing, the old reputation of the katcha will be restored, and people will come to see the area for themselves,” he added.

Read more: 38 dacoits surrender in Kashmore, Sukkur

He confirmed that a notice had been issued to the Hyderabad Senior Superintendent of Police in connection with a case involving journalists in interior Sindh, with the Hyderabad Deputy Inspector General conducting an inquiry.

Speaking on the role of the media, Odho said police performance, particularly in Karachi and the katcha areas, had not been fully reflected in coverage. “Media support is essential. Crime-fighting cannot achieve results without the media’s cooperation,” he said, inviting journalists to visit operational areas.

Describing the tri-border region where Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan meet, Odho said it was highly sensitive due to the movement of weapons.

Working with intelligence agencies and the federal government, police were attempting to curb the inflow of heavy arms, he added. “We have intelligence on who possesses heavy weapons. We will recover them, cleanse the area of lethal arms and ultimately make it weapon-free,” he said.

Odho said coordination with other forces had improved significantly, citing joint operations with Punjab Police and Rangers.

He said institutional linkages would further strengthen cooperation, adding that while operations were focused on the katcha belt, routine policing elsewhere continued.

Infrastructure development, including bridges in Kashmore and Ghotki, would improve access and aid policing, alongside plans for schools and welfare services in riverine settlements, Odho said.

The inspector general said a dedicated katcha force would be revived to police the roughly 400-kilometre stretch, supported by aerial surveillance and inter-provincial coordination.