Sindh Police Inspector Javed Alam Odho speaking to the media PHOTO: SCREENGRAB/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Sindh Superintendent of Police Javed Alam Odho said on Friday that police conducted 113 encounters during the last month, killed 27 dacoits, injured 82 others and arrested 123 suspects, including those who surrendered voluntarily.
Speaking to the media, Odho said the katcha belt had long posed a major challenge, where kidnapping for ransom, honey poaching and organized armed crime were on the rise.
He said the ongoing operation against dacoits in the katcha areas would continue until criminal networks were dismantled and the writ of the state fully restored.
He said criminal gangs lured victims through false sales offers or by using women’s voices to trap individuals before abducting them. People from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab were also targeted and brought into the riverine areas, he added.
Odho said gangs had occupied government land and were using it as operational bases while ransoms were being used to procure weapons
“Earlier they only had AK-47 rifles but later acquired war weapons. In some cases they were better equipped than policemen and even had ammunition capable of penetrating armored personnel carriers,” he said. He added that the groups openly challenged the authority of the state through video statements and threats against police officials.
Read: Key dacoits surrender during Katcha operation
“Our effort was to give the bandits a befitting response, either to eliminate them or force them to surrender,” he said, adding that the government’s support had strengthened police operations.
“Our effort was to give the bandits a befitting response, either to eliminate them or force them to surrender,” he said, adding that the government’s support had strengthened police operations.
He said 15 abductees from various economic backgrounds had been rehabilitated, some of whom had been held captive for up to three years in inhumane conditions.
Odho said many suspects were now trying to establish contact with the authorities. “In most cases, factors of fear and pressure have emerged. Many dacoits reach out and want to surrender to the law,” he said.
He added that while some had shown willingness to lay down their arms, others remained defiant. “Those who surrender will receive justice, while those who refuse will be dealt with harshly,” he said.
The IGP said policing was inherently complex and errors, whether intentional or otherwise, could occur.
He emphasized that officers could not be removed simply because of pressure in connection with demonstrations or protests. “If allegations are proved, strict action will be taken,” he added.
Odho said some hostages remained in the custody of the dacoits, but their exact number was not certain. “Even now, three or four hostages may still be held, but the situation will become clear once the operation is completed,” he said.
He added that both the number of hostages and the number of dacoits had decreased. “They will either surrender or we will deal with them firmly,” Odho said.
The IGP said the police had now reached areas that had been inaccessible earlier. “It will no longer happen that any area remains a ‘no-go zone’,” he said, calling the drop in criminal activity in the katcha belt a “moral victory” for the police.
“God willing, the old reputation of the katcha will be restored and people will come to see the area for themselves,” he added.
Read more: 38 dacoits surrender in Kashmore, Sukkur
He confirmed that a notice had been issued to the Hyderabad Senior Superintendent of Police in connection with a case involving journalists in interior Sindh, where the Deputy Inspector General of Hyderabad was conducting an investigation.
Speaking about the role of the media, Odho said that police efforts, especially in Karachi and the katcha areas, had not been fully reflected in the coverage. “Media support is essential. Crime fighting cannot achieve results without the cooperation of the media,” he said, inviting journalists to visit operational areas.
Describing the tri-border region where Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan meet, Odho said it was very sensitive due to the movement of arms.
In cooperation with intelligence services and the federal government, the police tried to curb the influx of heavy weapons, he added. “We have intelligence on who possesses heavy weapons. We will recover them, clear the area of lethal weapons and ultimately make it weapon-free,” he said.
Odho said coordination with other forces had improved significantly, citing joint operations with Punjab Police and Rangers.
He said institutional linkages would further strengthen cooperation, adding that while operations were focused on the katcha belt, routine policing continued elsewhere.
Infrastructure development, including bridges in Kashmore and Ghotki, would improve access and help the police, along with plans for schools and welfare services in riverine settlements, Odho said.
The inspector general said a dedicated katcha force would be revived to police the roughly 400 kilometer stretch, supported by aerial surveillance and inter-provincial coordination.
