At least four suspected bandits were killed during a targeted police operation in Shikarpur district, Sindh, police officials said on Monday. The operation was launched following recent attacks by outlaw groups on civilians and law enforcement personnel in the katcha (riverine) areas surrounding the district.
According to SSP Shikarpur, the police received credible intelligence about the presence of heavily armed robbers who had been firing on passengers and committing highway robberies along the Indus Highway near the Naperkot area. When officers attempted to apprehend the suspects, they opened fire, prompting a brief but intense exchange of gunfire.
In the ensuing operation, police forces managed to neutralise four of the bandits, while others reportedly fled into the surrounding countryside. The slain suspects’ bodies were moved to the local hospital pending identification and post‑mortem procedures, officials added.
The clash also resulted in injuries to several civilians; one passenger was killed and five others wounded after robbers opened fire on a bus that had refused to stop earlier in the incident, according to law enforcement reports. Protesters later blocked traffic on the Indus Highway, demanding swift action against the criminals.
Local police have vowed to continue the operation until all outlaw elements in the area are apprehended. The district’s SSP stated that similar operations will be intensified in the riverine and rural regions where bandit gangs have long exploited rugged terrain to evade arrest and carry out kidnappings, robberies, and attacks on travellers and residents.
Authorities also stressed their commitment to restoring law and order in Shikarpur, where such criminal activities have been a persistent challenge for security forces. Additional police units and resources have been deployed to assist in tracking down remaining suspects.
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