Multan ATC hands death sentence to Chhotu gang leader, accomplices on 18 counts
Two of the gang members were given death sentence on 19 counts owing to them being underage
March 13, 2019
KARACHI/MULTAN: The Multan anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday sentenced to death the infamous Chhotu Gang leader, Ghulam Rasool Chhotu, his brother, and 20 of his accomplices on 18 counts each.
The ruling against the Rajanpur-based gang was announced by Judge Malik Khalid Mahmood at the Central Jail Multan's Court No. 1. They had dozens of cases, including that of murder, kidnapping for murder, and extortion, against them.
Further, two of the gang members were given death sentence on 19 counts owing to them being underage.
Back on April 18, 2016, the Pakistan Army and police had launched a full-scale offensive to dislodge Rajanpur gangsters — locally referred to as “Chhotu Gang” — holding police officers as hostages on its island hideout in Punjab.
'No option left'
Helicopters and gunships of the Pakistan Army had pounded the island hideout of the heavily-armed gang that has been holding 24 hostages on a 10-kilometre-long island in the centre of the Indus River.
The operation, which involved over 2,000 security forces, went on for two weeks and the Army’s push to deploy troops, artillery, and helicopter and gunships was an unprecedented use of force by the military in Punjab.
“We (army) had given the Chhotu gang until 2PM today to surrender but they did not abide by the deadline,” said a military official based in the district of Rajanpur in southern Punjab where the battle is taking place.
“Now there is no option left but a full-scale operation, which has started,” he added.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army’s media wing, announced that General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed had also been present “to see preparation for [the] impending operation against criminals”.
At least six police officers were killed in the battle for the island. A police spokesperson had said those killed were among the 24 hostages.
