Hostage policemen recovered in Rajanpur

Punjab police on Wednesday conducted an operation against the notorious Chotu gang and recovered two policemen taken hostage some days ago from their possession in Rojhan tehsil of Rajanpur district. The gang had abducted the constables from the Katcha area of Rajanpur some days ago. The cops, a report said, were visiting a tea stall at night near Jeevan Morr police station some days back. According to Dera Ghazi Khan Regional Police Officer Faisal Rana, the police carried out an operation and recovered their abducted colleagues. “We have also arrested 11 suspects including the mastermind of the abduction bid, bandits, and others during a successful operation in Rojhan,” Rana said. The police have also denied reports relating to negotiations being held with the dacoits to secure the release of the policemen. “Both the cops were recovered in an operation against dacoits,” a police spokesperson said, adding a comprehensive and effective operational strategy was devised to recover those abducted. He further said that both the policemen remained unharmed during the operation. Operation against bandits in riverbed locations of both Punjab and Sindh have been launched to purge these towns of crime bosses and militant elements. Key members of the Chotu militant gang were arrested during a joint military and police operation in April 2016. During the attack, gang members, including ringleader Ghulam Rasool Chotu, had surrendered to the state. In March 2019, an anti-terrorism court sentenced Chotu and his 19 accomplices to death on 18 counts and slapped an Rs6.2m fine on them under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997 and the Explosive Substance Act, 1908. Native town of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, 52 percent territory of Dera Ghazi Khan division consists of many tribes where the policing has never been allowed by influential tribal chiefs.