The much hyped “Chotoo gang” in Pakistan’s Punjab province has surrendered and its members have been taken into custody, police sources said on Wednesday.
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The ISPR chief said that security forces will eliminate this “no-go area” and any other such areas across the country. The army took control of the fight on April 15 after the police suffered embarrassing losses.
It is believed that members of the Chottu gang, allegedly involved in numerous cases kidnapping, murder, and robbery are using their women and children as a human shield to avert the operation.
Chotu [the gang’s ringleader] will be transported & interrogated.
“Families of dacoits have been recovered safely from the island”.
“We (army) had given the Chotu gang until 2 p.m. today to surrender but they did not abide by the deadline”, said a military official based in the district of Rajanpur in southern Punjab where the battle is taking place. The Army later said that it would begin a full-scale operation after the gang failed to comply with the warning.
Police launched the Rajanpur offensive after a go-ahead from the interior ministry. However, the end result was achieved not only through force, but also with mediation of local Sardars from the Mazari tribe.
Chotoo is known for helping the locals, without carrying any criminal activity in the area.
The riverine area of Kachi Jamal in Rajanpur, a stronghold of the Chhotu gang, has a population of more than 10,000 people living in small villages.
The biggest operation carried out by Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan police against the Chotoo gang was in 2010 which continued for three months, but to no avail.
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The army’s publicity wing announced that General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, the most senior commanding officer in the area, had arrived earlier in the day “to see preparation for impending operation against criminals”. The operation lasted for around 23 days and now reports of the surrender have finally culminated the operation successfully against this notorious gang.
