# Armed men abduct 20 police recruits in Balochistan

> 20 police recruits kidnapped from training center in Balochistan.
- Title: Armed men abduct 20 police recruits in Balochistan · Dawn
- Summary: 20 police recruits kidnapped from training center in Balochistan. 20 police recruits were abducted by armed men while traveling in a van on the…
- Keywords: police recruits, abduction, balochistan, mastung, quetta, karachi, armed men, police training center, news, politics, Armed, men
- Source: Dawn — https://dawn.com/news/2037816/armed-men-abduct-20-under-training-police-personnel-in-mastung-officials
- Author: Saleem Shahid
- Published: 2026-10-17T09:38:09+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: police recruits, abduction, balochistan, mastung, quetta, karachi, armed men, police training center, news, politics
## Abduction confirmed
Unidentified armed men kidnapped 20 police recruits undergoing training at the Kalat Police Training Centre while traveling in a passenger van along the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung district.

> Yes, 20 police personnel who were going home for the weekend were taken away by armed men while they were travelling in a passenger van on the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung
## Recruits heading home
The recruits were heading home for the weekend when armed men intercepted their van.
## Armed men intercepted
A group of armed men riding motorcycles and carrying automatic weapons intercepted the van and took the recruits away along with the vehicle to an undisclosed location.
## Driver and passengers released
The armed men released the driver and three other passengers traveling in the van.
## Recruits' affiliation
The abducted personnel belonged to the Levies Force, which has since been merged with the police.
## Recruits' division
The abducted personnel belonged to the Rakhshan division, government officials said.
## Search operation launched
Security forces have launched a search operation in the nearby mountains to trace the abducted recruits.
## No information on whereabouts
No information about their whereabouts has emerged so far.
## No group claimed responsibility
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
## Previous abduction
A day earlier, Rakhshan Division Commissioner Asad Ullah Kakar was abducted in Balochistan’s Kharan district.
## Earlier release
Kharan Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Soomro was released safely on Oct 3 after nearly two weeks in captivity following negotiations between local tribal elders and the armed men who had abducted him from the Noshki-Kharan…
## Past kidnapping
On July 21, three excise officials were kidnapped after an attack on a checkpost in Balochistan’s Chagai district.
## Key takeaway

20 police recruits were abducted by armed men while traveling in a van on the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung district, Balochistan.