11 gang members surrender in Rajanpur’s Katcha as police target Umrani gang

At least 11 much-wanted and dangerous members of the Umrani gang surrendered to the police after a large-scale operation against criminal elements in the katcha areas of Rajanpur, police said on Sunday.

Rajanpur police conducted a targeted operation in Katcha Umrani, Sukhani and Katcha Karachi areas using modern technology including drones to target the hideouts of the criminals.

According to a Punjab Police spokesman, the operation led to the surrender of 11 key members of the Umrani gang. The hideouts and bunkers of the dacoits were destroyed while the surrendered suspects handed over heavy weapons and other weapons to the law enforcement agencies.

Read: Dacoit in Katcha area with bounty of Rs 10 million. surrenders at Rahim Yar Khan

District Police Officer (DPO) Rajanpur Muhammad Imran said the arrested dacoits have long been wanted in several cases including kidnapping, murder and armed robbery. He added that the suspects would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and given due punishment.

The DPO said an intense exchange of fire was still going on between the police and the remaining dacoits in the area. He warned other criminal elements to surrender immediately or face stern action.

Punjab Inspector General of Police, Dr. Usman Anwar, lauded the efforts of the Rajanpur police and praised the officers involved in the operation. He said the campaign to eliminate crime from the katcha areas would continue with full force.

Last week, notorious katcha area dacoit Mera Lathani, who was carrying a bounty of Rs.10 million, surrendered to the police along with his accomplices Fida alias Rathor Lathani and Zulfi Lathani in Rahim Yar Khan.

Earlier, in October last year, at least 72 wanted dacoits from Sindh’s Shikarpur district also laid down their arms. Many of them carried bounties, and officials described the development as a turning point for areas long plagued by crime and lawlessness.

The surrenders were carried out under President Asif Ali Zardari’s surrender policy approved in 2024, with the aim of restoring peace and reclaiming the katcha areas falling under Sukkur and Larkana divisions. Under the policy, surrendered bandits must face pending criminal cases before becoming eligible for admission to the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).