MULTAN, April 20th:The 22-day-long Operation Zarb-e-Ahan against Ghulam Rasool alias Chhotu culminated late night with the surrender of the feared dacoit along with his 80 gang-members before the army in Katcha Jamal on the left bank of River Indus some 10 kilometres south of Bangla Icchha Late night, Police sources said.However Inter Service Public Relations neuither confirmed nor denied the informations and said that everything would be cleared today. Members of the Chotoo gang surrendered to the Army and were taken into custody by the armed forces, police sources said early Wednesday.Twenty four policemen taken hostage by the gang at the start of the Rajanpur operation, Zarb-i-Ahan, were released, sources said.A senior police officer earlier told that the gang had been using the hostages as a human shield to protect their women and children.Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa had said a cordon was being reinforced and police and Rangers had already been deployed to participate in the operation under the Army.The Chotoo gang, led by Ghulam Rasool, alias Chhotu, was given a deadline by the Army to surrender on Monday, failing which, the Army said it would begin a full-scale operation in the area.A source in the police department said that Chotoo had demanded safe passage for himself, his family and some loyal accomplices to proceed to Dubai in return of safe release of the captive policemen, it was earlier reported.It was learnt the law enforcing agencies, which were already active, ensured the success of the operation through direct contacts of local Sardars with Chhotu, capitalising on the existing influence of the Mazari tribe in that part of the Katchha Area. The breakthrough was made on Tuesday evening with talks replacing the guns. The same Sardars had earlier helped the police recover the bodies of police officials killed last week. At that time, the Sardars had acquired the services of mediators.
