File photo of Peshawar police.
The operation had been initiated to eliminate the gangs of wanted criminals, Sulto Shar and Guddu Shar. Unfortunately, the two have yet to be apprehended. Earlier, the police had claimed that they have killed 16 dacoits. However, they changed their stance and now claim to have killed only seven. Interestingly, the bodies recovered were only four.
Moreover, residents of Raunti have accused the police of taking away wheat stocks and livestock worth millions of rupees with them.
When the Ghotki police launched the operation against the Shars, a wanted criminal of southern Punjab, Chotu Bakhrani, joined hands with the Shars. Resultantly, SHO Jarwar Muhammad Hassan Kolachi was killed when the dacoits fired a rocket on the police's armoured personnel carrier.
While the Kashmore-Kandhkot police were already playing an active role in the operation, the Sukkur and Khairpur police were called in following Kolachi's death. During the operation, the police had claimed to have killed 16 dacoits and injuring many others, besides bulldozing and torching their hideouts.
On the other hand, journalists in Daharki and Ubauro claimed that the Ghotki police took away wheat worth Rs70 to Rs80 million during the operation in the katcha. This was other than the livestock taken into custody by the police.
Moreover, the police were seen forcibly over taking tractor trollies, possibly for transporting wheat, said the journalists. They added that many tractor trolley owners complained about the highhandedness of the police, saying that the owners are not being paid any compensation.
A police officers requesting anonymity, when asked about the operation in the katcha, retorted, "What operation? "Oh, you mean Operation Wheat? Yes, it has remained successful."
The police's version
Talking to The Express Tribune, Ghotki SSP Saqib Sultan Mehmood contradicted his earlier claim of killing 16 dacoits and said that the police have killed seven dacoits so far. When asked about the bodies, he said that the police have recovered only four of them so far.
Responding to allegations of taking away wheat stock from the katcha area, he said that this might have been in practice in yesteryears but no such thing occurred this year. When asked why the police were forcibly taking over tractor trollies, he said that some tractor trollies were hired for 'logistic purpose' and not for transporting wheat and livestock.
Clearing his position, the SSP said that the police asked the residents of Raunti to take away their wheat stock during operation and that a truce was announced for the purpose. According to him, the operation was resumed when the residents moved with their wheat stocks.
While admitting that the police have failed to achieve their target so far, Mehmood said he was optimistic that he will report a huge success within the next couple of days. He said that the operation against the outlaws has been intensified with the support of the Rangers.
When asked about the presence of militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in the katcha alongside outlaws, he said, "Some members of banned outfits might be helping the outlaws in the katcha, therefore we should avoid jumping at conclusions."
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.
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