RAJANPUR, April 17: Security personnel have given heavily armed gangsters on an island hideout in Rajanpur until Sunday evening to release abducted policemen and surrender, or ‘be wiped out’.
The army on Friday evening took over control of the operation to dislodge the criminal gang – Chhotu gang – holding hostages on the island hideout in Rajanpur. The security operation involving more than 1,600 security forces is now in its twentieth day, with soldiers deployed to flush gangsters from the 10 kms long island in the centre of the Indus River.
At least six police officials have been killed since the start of the operation – Zarb-e-Aahan – to recapture the island.
According to our correspondents reporting from the area, troops have cordoned off the area from all four sides, leaving no space for members of the Chhotu gang or their accomplices to escape.
The gang – led by Ghulam Rasool also known as Chhotu, a longtime criminal active in the border areas of the provinces of Punjab and Sindh – is blamed for hundreds of cases of kidnapping for ransom, murder and robbery.
The battle is taking place near Rajanpur, one of the poorest districts in Punjab, where the Panjnad River flows into the Indus River.
On Friday, Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah had given the gang 48 hours to surrender or “be wiped out”.
The Chhotu Gang seems to be on the defensive after the army took over the command of Operation Zarb-e-Aahan on Friday evening and launched an offensive under a new strategy.
The army gunships targeted the criminals’ hideouts early Saturday morning but no further action was reported since then. Also, the Chhotu Gang did not offer any resistance to the troops.
The safe recovery of the policemen who were taken hostage is seemingly a priority for the army commandoes. Also, the army wants to capture Chhotu rather than eliminate him in order to interrogate him.
In an earlier tweet, military spokesman Lt-Gen Bajwa said the army troops had been deployed and the cordon reinforced around the area. All the required resources would be employed to accomplish the mission, he said, adding that updates about the operation would be shared regularly.
Sources privy to the developments said the police had been completely withdrawn from the operation due to the massive casualties and flawed operational strategies. They added that control of pickets and bunkers had also been taken by the army personnel.
The army men have received shoot on sight orders, adopting zero tolerance for criminals.-Agencies
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