Officer’s Murder
DADU: Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and a strong contingent of police, accompanied by commandos, moved into several villages in Dadu district, including Mondar, Ismail Ja Bhan, Keti Jatoi, and adjacent areas, on Thursday.
The deployment aimed to apprehend a group of armed men suspected of murdering a policeman a few days earlier. The suspects had reportedly fled to these villages after a violent clash in Qasai Mohalla, a locality near Mehar town, on the night of August 12.
The initial conflict, which continued into Tuesday, stemmed from a dispute over control of a piece of state-owned land between two rival groups within the Shahani community.
The altercation escalated, leading to the death of Head Constable Zulfiqar Turk, who was allegedly part of one of the rival groups.
During the clash, another constable, Saddam Kalhoro, was injured and subsequently taken to Chandka Medical College Hospital in Larkana for treatment.
Following the murder of Head Constable Turk, local police intervened to quell the violence and restore order in the area. However, the suspects accused of killing Turk and wounding Kalhoro managed to flee to the distant village of Khero Bhatti.
A police team pursued them, and an encounter ensued, resulting in the death of the main suspect, Nadir Khoso.
According to Dadu SSP retired Captain Amir Saud Magsi, several of Khoso’s accomplices were arrested, and firearms were confiscated. It was noted that Khoso did not belong to the Shahani community, which had been at the center of the land dispute.
Since Tuesday, a large police force has been engaged in efforts to capture the remaining suspects associated with the murder of Head Constable Turk.
Despite the extensive manhunt, no significant breakthroughs had been reported until Thursday, when SSP Magsi led an even larger force, accompanied by commandos, in a combing operation across multiple villages.
The operation was supported by several Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) and Station House Officers (SHOs) from the affected areas.
A spokesperson for the district police stated that the operation was part of an effort to “tackle criminal elements and restore peace amid the ongoing dispute between two factions of the Shahani tribe.”
The police force involved in the operation was equipped with modern weaponry and APCs, and the search was concentrated in the areas of Mondar, Ismail Ja Bhan, and Keti Jatoi.
Women police officers played a crucial role in the operation, conducting house-to-house searches alongside their male counterparts.
According to the spokesperson, multiple potential hideouts and residences linked to criminals were searched, and several of these hideouts were demolished. Many suspects were detained for interrogation, and their criminal records were being verified.
In addition to the search and seizure operations, the police established additional check-posts in the region to maintain law and order.
This move came after Hyderabad DIG Tariq Dharejo, while addressing the media following the funeral of Head Constable Zulfikar Turk, clarified that the police had intervened in what was essentially a quarrel between two rival factions of the Shahani community.
SSP Magsi confirmed that Turk was killed by the group led by Nadir Khoso, who was later killed in a police encounter near Khero Bhatti village.
The ongoing police operation is aimed at apprehending any remaining suspects and ensuring the safety and security of the local population.
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