SUKKUR: A motorcycle rider and his pillion were shot dead when they put up resistance to dacoits` attempt to snatch their two-wheeler on Garhi Yasin section of the Indus Highway in Shikarpur district on Monday.

The area police said that Piyar Hussain and Saddam were intercepted by dacoits, who ordered them to hand over the motorcycle. However, the two youths posed resistance on which the dacoits shot them dead and took away their vehicle.

The police took the bodies to the Garhi Yasin Hospital for a post-mortem examination and then handed them over to the heirs.

The victims` f amily and relatives along with residents of the area took to the street and held a demonstration in the middle of the highway. They also placed burning tyres across it causing suspension of vehicular traffic on both tracks of road for several hours. After the area police failed to persuade them to clear the road, the DSP of the area held negotiations with them and promised early arrest of the killers. The protesters then dispersed peacefully.

Looting spree A gang of dacoits went on a looting spree along SukkurMultan section of motorway on Monday. They deprived passengers and crew of at least 10 vehicles by blocking the Pannu Agil-Rohri Interchange near Sukkur.

One of the victims told the media that the dacoits parked a mini-truck across the road to block it and then began looting passengers and crew of stuck up vehicles.

Other victims said they outlaws also shot at and wounded drivers of two mini-trucks for putting up resistance. Most of the passengers lost their mobile phones, cash and other valuables to the robbers.