A group of armed bandits kidnapped 13 agricultural workers, including two children, from a mango orchard in Sadiqabad late Monday night, police confirmed on Tuesday.
The laborers were working at the orchard when the armed gang stormed the site and took them hostage, transporting them to the nearby katcha (riverine) area — a known hideout for criminal groups.
The abducted individuals have been identified as Nadeem Ahmed, Rasheed Ahmed, Waseem Ahmed, Saddam Hussain, Gul Hassan, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Hanif, Nadeem, Kashif, Majid Umair, Shahmeer Ahmed, and Tanveer Ahmed.
The incident triggered a jurisdictional dispute between Rajanpur’s Sonmiani Police Station and Rahim Yar Khan’s Bhong Police Station, causing a delay in the registration of the kidnapping case.
Authorities later confirmed that the case was officially filed at the Sonmiani Police Station. A search and rescue operation has since been launched to recover the hostages, officials added.
Police say efforts are underway to track the gang and ensure the safe return of all victims.
