A 23-year-old Hindu farmer was shot dead by his landlord in Pakistan’s Sindh province earlier this month, triggering widespread protests by the minority community and prompting police to arrest the accused after days of public pressure. The victim, identified as Kelash Kohli, was shot on January 4 in Talhar village of Badin district. According to police, Kohli was allegedly targeted for attempting to construct a small shelter on land owned by his landlord, Sarfaraz Nizamani.

Kohli sustained critical bullet injuries and later succumbed at a hospital. Local residents said the dispute escalated when Nizamani objected to Kohli’s construction activity, leading to the fatal shooting.

Police Action And Arrests

Badin Senior Superintendent of Police Qamar Reza Jaskani confirmed that Nizamani and his alleged facilitator, Zafarullah Khan, were arrested from the Fateh Chowk area of Hyderabad on the night of January 10, 2026.

“A special team was formed after the accused fled the scene and went underground. After sustained efforts, we finally arrested him last night,” Jaskani said. Police added that the investigation was intensified after the filing of a First Information Report (FIR).

An FIR was registered on the complaint of Kohli’s brother, Poon Kumar Kohli, following the killing. Police officials said the special investigation team tracked the suspects across multiple locations before making the arrests.

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Hindu Community Protests

The killing sparked mass protests and sit-ins by members of the Hindu community across Badin district. Demonstrators demanded swift arrests and justice, alleging that crimes against minorities often go unpunished.

Shiva Kaachi, who runs a welfare trust for Hindu minorities in Sindh, said public pressure played a decisive role. “Hundreds of people turned up for peaceful protests. The sit-ins only ended after Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Akhtar Odho personally called the bereaved father and confirmed the arrests,” he said.

Kaachi expressed hope that the case would proceed fairly. “A transparent trial is essential to restore confidence among the Hindu community and ensure they are protected from such horrific crimes,” he said.

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