LAHORE: The Punjab government has identified `top 40` hardened criminals of the Katcha area and announced head money according to their crime profile.

The profile and identity of the gangsters was prepared by the Punjab police on the basis of intelligence reports obtained from various law enforcement agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Special Branch of the Punjab police and other sources.

The Punjab police has already launched a major operation in Rahim Yar Khan soon after the armed men ambushed 12 personnel in a rocket attack on Aug 22.

The Punjab police highups had proposed to the government to come up with multiple strategies in addition to a large-scale operation in the riverine belt.

As a top priority, they suggested to the government to increase head money for the arrest of gangsters using the Katcha area as a base to carry out attacks on police and kidnap people for ransom.

Following an extensive process, the Punjab government identified hardened criminals operating along the Indus in Rahim Yar Khan on its west bank and Rajanpur and DG Khan on the right bank.

According to the list, the government has announced Rs5 million eachforthe arrest ofbandits Ayub, wanted in fivecriminal cases lodged against him, Matara of Katcha Karachi in 29 cases, Farhat in 36 cases, Qurban 23 cases, Habib 27, Hazara 10 cases, Fiaz 30, Mouj Ali 55 cases and Ghulam Qadir wanted in 18 cases.

Similarly, Rs2.5m was announced for the arrest of robbers including Sabar Deen wanted in 14 cases, Nawab in 16 cases, Shabbir 14 cases, Zafar 11 cases, Bahadur 21 cases, Dost Mohamamd 10 cases, Waqar 11, Yaseen 21 cases, Nazir 7 and Fouj Ali wanted in 25 cases.

The provincial government also increased head money for the arrest for 20 most dangerous and notorious dacoits of the katcha areas from Rsim to Rs10m, keeping in view their heinous crimes, including brutal and deadly attacks on police.

They were identified as Shahid, Majeeb, Wahab, Ghani, Ahmad alias Shobi, Ahmad Rasool Baksh, Attaullah, Sabaz Ali, Qabool, Meera, Darban, Gora, Sanaullah, Tanvir, Rahab Shar, Umar Shar, Zahoor, Morzada, Gull Hassan and Sadari.

A former Rahim Yar Khan DPO told Dawn criminals of various gangs were operating largely from 12 Indus islands of Rahim Yar Khan which are located on the eastern side of river Indus, in close proximity of Bhong and Sadigabad police stations in RYK with katcha areas of Rajanpur, Kashmore and Ghotki districts.

The police officer said the Punjab police have been facing a tough timedue to the non-accessibility to the area which lacks vital structure and other facilities like electricity, drinking water, healthcare and education facilities.

`Main area of operation ofthese gangsfallsin the jurisdiction of PS Bhong, Ahmedpur Lamma, Saddar Sadigabad and Kot Sabzal for carrying out attacks on the police forces and criminal activities incluiding kidnapping for ransom`, he said.

In the past, the former DPO said, several largescale operations had been conducted but no fruitful results could be obtained because these criminals would escape to katcha areas of Sindh through riverine routes.

`Once operation is halted and forces are pulled out, they would resume their activities.

He said that there was a dire need to change the strategy from large scale to localised targeted operations to get fruitful results.

The police officer revealed that the criminals were far ahead in use of technology. They remained connected mostlythroughWhatsApp and other messaging apps.

He said law enforcement agencies lacked ability to track them through cellular data.

He said now the Punjab police department has come up with a strategy to suspend cellular 4G and data networks in katcha areas to halt secret communication of criminals and their facilitators.