Katcha dacoits kidnap passengers from bus en route Quetta
RAHIM YAR KHAN: Katcha dacoits kidnapped passengers after launching a violent attack on a bus travelling to Quetta, abducting 19 male passengers while leaving women and children unharmed, police and eyewitnesses said on Tuesday.
According to initial reports, around 20 armed dacoits ambushed the passenger bus belonging to the Sadabahar Company after it departed from Sadiqabad for Quetta at around 8pm on Monday. The attack occurred when the bus reached the Murid Shakh area near Motorway M-5 and turned towards Guddu, approximately 65 kilometres from Rahim Yar Khan.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, some on foot and others in vehicles, blocked the road and opened fire to force the bus to stop. Passengers later shared videos on social media claiming the dacoits smashed the bus windows to gain entry before forcibly dragging male passengers off the vehicle.
After abducting the men, the armed group fled towards the dense katcha area, a riverine belt known for its forests and difficult terrain. The region has long been considered a safe haven for criminal gangs due to its inaccessibility and limited law enforcement presence.
Police were dispatched to the scene immediately after the attack. The bus driver, who sustained injuries during the incident, was shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Meanwhile, families of the abducted passengers expressed distress, saying repeated calls to local police initially went unanswered.
SSP Sukkur Azhar Mughal later confirmed that law enforcement agencies had managed to rescue 11 of the 19 abducted passengers during an ongoing operation in the katcha area. He said efforts were under way to safely recover the remaining eight victims and arrest those responsible for the attack.
The incident has renewed serious concerns about passenger safety on interprovincial routes, particularly along the Sindh-Punjab border where katcha dacoits have frequently targeted buses, traders and transport vehicles in recent years.
Authorities have assured that operations against criminal gangs in the riverine areas will continue until all abductees are recovered and the perpetrators brought to justice.
