RAJANPUR: In a significant breakthrough for law enforcement in southern Punjab, a major police operation in the notorious katcha area of Rajanpur has compelled 79 more wanted dacoits to surrender, authorities announced. The latest capitulations bring the total number of gang members who have laid down arms before the Rajanpur police to 176, marking a substantial blow to organized criminal networks in the riverine region.
The surrendering individuals include some of the most high-value and feared criminals on the police’s wanted list. Among them is the notorious dacoit Mujeeb, who carried a head value, or bounty, of Rs 1 crore. Also turning themselves in were Matara Sukhani, with a bounty of Rs 5 million, and Nawab Sukhani, valued at Rs 2.5 million. According to Punjab Police, a total of five dacoits with Rs 1 crore bounties have now surrendered during the ongoing Rajanpur campaign.
These individuals were wanted in connection with dozens of serious crimes spanning kidnapping for ransom, murder, and armed robbery. Their decision to surrender is attributed by police to intense pressure from the sustained security operation, which has left them “fearing death.”
As part of the coordinated offensive, security forces have also physically dismantled the gang infrastructure, destroying 27 hideouts and fortified bunkers used by the dacoits. This action aims to prevent the criminals from returning to their strongholds.
The mass surrenders represent a critical success for the Punjab Police‘s strategy to clear the lawless katcha areas. By combining direct military-style pressure with the prospect of negotiated surrenders, authorities are seeking to dismantle gangs that have long terrorized local populations and travelers. The operation continues as police work to process the surrendered individuals and pursue remaining fugitives.
