Dacoits involved in murder, kidnapping for ransom; police say surrender came after anti-criminal operations tightened
Notorious Katcha dacoit Mera Lathani, carrying a bounty of Rs10 million, surrendered to police in Rahim Yar Khan along with the accomplices Fida alias Rathor Lathani and Zulfi Lathani.
According to a Punjab police spokesperson, the surrender came as police tightened operations against criminals in the Katcha area under the leadership of District Police Officer Irfan Ali Samoon.
The Punjab government had declared Lathani a dangerous proclaimed offender, with his accomplices also wanted. The dacoits are involved in murder, attacks on police, kidnapping for ransom, among other serious crimes, the police spokesperson said.
Read: Sindh launches major operation against katcha bandits, warns of tough action
DPO Samoon stated that doors are open for those who lay down arms and move towards a peaceful life. “Those who surrender will be given a full opportunity to live a better life,” he said.
He added that police are fully committed to protecting the life and property of the public and suppressing criminals, adding that intelligence-based targeted actions and operations against criminals in the Katcha area are still ongoing.
The development comes amid intensified operations against Katcha dacoits across the country. Earlier on Wednesday, Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar announced the launch of a major operation against riverine bandits, warning that those who refuse to surrender and challenge the writ of the state would be eliminated.
This is not the first time such high-profile bandits have laid down their weapons. In October last year, at least 72 wanted Katcha dacoits from Sindh’s Shikarpur surrendered under a voluntary surrender scheme. Many of those outlaws were carrying bounties on their heads, and officials described the move as a turning point for an area long plagued by crime, fear, and lawlessness.
The decision was part of President Asif Ali Zardari’s landmark surrender policy, approved in 2024, as part of a broader initiative aimed at ensuring sustainable peace and reclaiming the Katcha areas, which fall under the Sukkur and Larkana Divisions. Under the policy, surrendered bandits must first face pending criminal cases before being included in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
