SUKKUR: Ghotki police saved lives of 17 women, who were about to get killed in the name of honour, nabbed 314 wanted criminals and 1,072 absconders during targeted operations last year, said Sukkur Range DIG Javed Sohanro on Wednesday.

He said that he had ordered police to expedite the pace of targeted operations againstbandits and outlaws in Sukkur, Ghotki, and Khairpur districts.

He visited riverine areas in different districts where he was briefed about the measures districts police had taken against the criminals.

In his visit to Ghotki, the DIG commended the operation command SSP, Tanveen Hussain Tunio, for conducting effective operations against the outlaws.

He said quoting from the Ghotki police report that police killed as many as 11 mostwanted dacoits, including Sultu Shar, Essa Shar, and others last year who carried head money of a million rupees.

The report said that 185 encounters took place in which 23 outlaws were wounded and arrested. Ghotki police eliminated 53 gangs of notorious criminals and arrested 110 outlaws involved in different heinous crimes, it said.

Police succeeded in saving 10 citizen from getting entrapped through honey-trap and freed18 hostages from the clutches of dacoits, it said.

The report said that timely intervention by police saved lives of 17 women who were about to be killed in the name of honor. Police nabbed 314 wanted criminals and 1,072 absconders during targeted operations.

It said that huge amount of ammunition was seized from outlaws during encounters and police actions, and 185 criminals were detained for keepingweapons without license.

Police seized 10 Kalashnikov rifles, 133 pistols, 21 double barrelled guns, two G-3 rifles , and two rifles along with 477 bullets.

Ghotki SSP Tanveer Hussain Tunio had directed all police officials to crack down against drug peddlers, narcotics such as pan-parag gutka and other social evils.

He said he had directed police officials to expedite targeted operation against dacoits, criminals and drugs dealers.