Chotoo And His Gang- Gaining Popularity
Monday, April 18th, 2016 10:13:34 by modousarr
The almost-popular ringleader of the Chotoo gang, Ghulam Rasool (aka Chotoo) is the target of a major operation launched by security forces. He was known to have worked as a security guard for MPA Atif Mazari for three to five years in Rojhan.
He also worked as an informer for the Punjab police till 2007, informing the police about gangs involved in robberies and kidnapping for ransom in Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh districts.
Based on reports, Chotoo is a member of the Bakrani Clan of Mazari tribe of Rojhan region. Differences grew between him and the police for unknown reasons, going on to form his own gang to execute criminal activities.
Certain minute and important gangs joined the Chotoo gang, especially coming from Rojhan, Dera Ghazi Khan and neighboring districts of Sindh and Balochistan. They include Bilal also known as Bilali Jaakha, Baba Long, Gumani Gopang, Sindhi group, Bosans of Muzaffargrah and Khalid Kajlani.
Bilali Jaakha gang was created by two brothers by the names of Bilal Jaakha and Jugnu Jaakha. They are supposedly involved in a farce case involving the killing of two sisters of Gopang tribe of Rajanpur. The women were said to have been killed by their tribe but the Jaakha brothers were implicated due to an old enmity.
The brothers were acquitted of the murder charge by a court. They grew links with criminals during their time in prison and subsequent to their release, they eliminated their ‘enemies’ and joined the Chotoo gang.
The criminals who are declared offenders in different areas of south Punjab and Sindh took shelter in localities under the supervision of Chotoo.
After kidnapping businessmen and professionals from various areas including Karachi, Balochistan and Rahimyar Khan, the small gangs sell them for Rs400,000 to Rs500,000 to the Chotoo gang. A former fugitive who had spent more than a year under the captivity of the Chotoo gang said the gang had gotten bigger ransom amount for their release.
Six to seven operations have been carried out against the Chotoo gang by the Punjab police and lost 30 policemen. Some gangsters were also killed.
Kachi Jamal, a riverine area in Rajanpur, a main point for the Chotoo gang, has a population of more than 10,000 people living in small vilages. They mostly rely on rearing of animals and farming. The gang is known for aiding out the locals and never executed any criminal activity in the region. However, Chotoo barred the area from the police, making it difficult for them to get information from them or the locals.
Earlier, the area was ruled by the Bosan gang between 2003 to 2004 and was headed by Zafar Bosan and Tariq Bosan. They were later killed by the police.
The biggest operation carried out against the gang was in 2010 by the Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan which went on for three months, but without any success. The last operation was in 2013.
In an operation in Kotla Mughlan area of Rajanpur years ago, police succeeded in rescuing a doctor from the gang and killing a gangster.
The local police wanted to execute the operation against the Chotoo gang in a precarious manner by securing off the area with checkposts and bunkers nearby, closing in on the outlaws.
However, Punjab IG Mushtaq Sukhera was in a hurry.
Based on the report of a police officer who was on a boat that faced attack by the Chotoo gang on April 13th, the IG was confronted by the local police about the way the operation should be carried out.
He was told that the gang possessed more sophisticated weapons and capability than that of the police and that only the army could oppose them. However, the IG was of the opinion that the government would not involve the army as that will contravene its policy.
The police officer said that when the police desisted from attacking the gang without proper steps taken and also failing to seek time, the IG dared them, claiming that he would go himself to the riverine area if they didn’t.
As a result, regional and district police officers urged their subordinates to follow suit and venture into the area.
“Policemen in two boats moved into the area along both banks of the river. The boats came under attack. One of them was captured by the gangsters and the other in which I was got fired on,” the officer stated, buttressing the point that the police returned fire and killed two gangsters.
Due to the attack, four policemen were killed whilst another suffered from injuries and is in a hospital.
To much surprise, the operation was led by SHOs, though most senior officials including DSPs, SPs, DPOs, RPOs and the IG, were present there.
Once Chotoo discovered that an SHO was among the captured policemen, he got the captive alone and shot him instantly.
As a result of the terrible and hurried planning of the IG, seven policemen have been made victims and have lost their lives while 27 others are still being held captive by the gangsters.
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