Punjab police has kicked off another attempt to subdue the dacoits of the Katcha areas in a ‘grand operation’ being led by the inspector general himself.

IG Dr Usman Anwar arrived in the area on Sunday where he was briefed about the plans and progress of the operation. An operation is simultaneously being carried out from the Sindh side as well.

Over 2,000 police officials are part of the operation from Punjab while a totla of 11,000 personnel are involved.

The police and dacoits exchanged intense gunfire on Sunday, in which one policeman was wounded.

Dr Usman expressed a hope that now that the outer perimeter has been secured, progress will be made inwards against the dacoits’ hideouts. Police is using its latest weapons and armoured vehicles to carry out the operation.

The dacoits live in little islands of the riverine areas at the border of the Punjab and Sindh and have been a nuisance for the last few years by pludering and kidnapping the areas around them with impunity.

Numerous operations have been carried out against them in recent years, including one in last November, which subdues them atleast temporarily.