The crime rate in Sukkur division remained very high during 2014 year as 365 people were killed ruthlessly over karo-kari, tribal disputes and other issues as criminals continued to rule the region whole year due to police failure in controlling crimes.
The Sukkur division comprises Khairpur, Ghotki and Sukkur districts. The incidents of kidnapping, robberies and other crimes made the life of people miserable across the division as police badly failed to overcome crimes.
The district Khairpur, which belongs to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, remained top in crimes where 187 people were killed ruthlessly. Some 90 people were killed in Sukkur district, while 88 fell prey to killings in Ghotki district.
As many as 7,722 incidents of kidnapping for ransom, murders, robberies etc were reported in Sukkur division and 3,644 incidents took place in Khairpur district.
In district Sukkur, which belongs to Opposition Leader in National Assembly Sayed Khurshed Ahmed Shah, 2,062 crime incidents happened. It remained second after Khairpur district while district Ghotki remained third in crimes where 2,016 criminal incidents took place.
Owing to rising kidnapping cases in Sukkur division, people feel unsafe. After sunset at National Highway, 34 people were kidnapped for ransom from Sukkur division in which only 25 cases were reported. Some 23 people were kidnapped from Khairpur district. The police claimed recovering 22 people.
It may be noted that a schoolteacher, Ghulam Sarwar Soomro, the brother of local journalist Ghulam Qadir Soomro, was still under hostage. In Sukkur division, 46 criminals were killed and 77 others injured in 658 encounters, while two cops were killed and 13 others injured. The number of arrested criminals stood 668 during the 2014 year.
According to the break-up of the 658 encounters, 260 were held with Khairpur police, 224 with Sukkur police and 174 with Ghotki police.
Recently, JUI–F leader Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro was also killed in Sukkur. The police claimed arresting five accused, while the sons of Dr Khalid Soomro and other party leaders were still protesting for arrest of the real culprits.