Police in Kot Addu recovered the abducted father of a well-known TikToker after an intelligence-driven operation in the Thal desert, during which four kidnappers were killed in an exchange of fire, authorities said on Thursday.
According to the District Police Officer (DPO) Kot Addu, the rescue mission was launched to recover Sadiq Hussain, father of TikToker Vela Manda, who had been abducted on 15 November by a group of four armed men from his dera.
The DPO said the operation, based on technical tracking and human intelligence, resulted in a fierce shootout in the remote desert belt. “During the exchange of fire, four kidnappers were gunned down, while one managed to escape,” the official added.
Police confirmed that the abducted man was successfully rescued without any injuries and reunited with his family.
A search operation is under way to trace the fleeing suspect, while the bodies of the deceased kidnappers have been shifted for identification and legal formalities.
