The incident of kidnapping of a trader from Hala Naka area, near Hyderabad Bypass, here on Sunday triggered a strong reaction from the local traders who surrounded the local police station in protest, burnt tyres and blocked the highway. According to SHO Hatri police station Muneer Abbasi, a trader Hassan Raza Khan was allegedly kidnapped on Sunday when he arrived at his shop in the morning.
"Four unknown suspects in a car bearing registration number ADA 394 took him away while he was parking his car after dropping his father Hamedullah Khan at the shop," he said. A shopkeeper, Waheed Pathan, tried to save Hassan but the kidnappers opened fire on him. He, however, escaped unhurt, the SHO said.
Jabbar Khan, the leader of Hala Naka Shopkeepers Association who led the protesters, said such incidents of violence, kidnappings and extortion have become frequent in the area.
"This one also appears to be an act of kidnapping for ransom," he said. He warned the police that the traders would launch a strong protest, suspend goods transport and other services if the crimes happening in their area were not stopped.
"We also want an immediate recovery of Hassan from the kidnappers without payment of any ransom," he demanded adding that the police should bust the kidnapping gangs. The SP Headquarters Wasee Hyder arrived at the protest venue to pacify the protesters.
Hyder assured them that the kidnapped person would be recovered. According to SHO Muneer Abbasi, a case has been registered against four unknown persons on the complaint of Khan. He said that the police were trying to locate the car whose registration number was available to them.