Pak criminal gangs hold hostage 30 Hindus; rights group raises alarm: Report

A rights group in Pakistan has raised alarm about reports of organised criminal gangs holding hostage 30 members of the minority Hindu community, including women and children. The incident has been reported from the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh.

“HRCP is alarmed by reports of deteriorating law and order in the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, where some 30 members of the Hindu community - including women and children - have allegedly been held hostage by organised criminal gangs,” Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in a tweet.

The group also highlighted the threats to attack Hindu temples using high-grade weapons, calling on the home department to investigate the matter immediately.

“Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community's sites of worship, using high-grade weapons. The Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to protect all vulnerable citizens in these areas,” it added.

The group raised concern amid reports of a Hindu temple being attacked with rocket launchers by a gang of dacoits in the Southern Sindh province of Pakistan on Sunday, in the second such incident of vandalism of a place of worship belonging to the minority community in less than two days.

The assailants attacked the small temple built by the local Hindu community and adjoining homes belonging to members of the minority community in the Kashmore area of the Sindh province.

The attack came after the Mari Mata Temple in Karachi’s Soldier Bazar was razed to the ground by bulldozers in the presence of a heavy contingent of police force late on Friday night.

The temple believed to be nearly 150 years ago was demolished after being declared an old and dangerous structure in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh province.

The assailants fired indiscriminately at the temple on Sunday, prompting a police unit led by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo to reach the scene.

They fired “rocket launchers” at the place of worship, which was closed during the attack, the police official said, adding that the temple opens annually for religious services conducted by the Bagri community.

“The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday. They fired indiscriminately and fled when a police party reached the spot. We are conducting a search operation in the area,” Samoo said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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