Across K-P: More than 290 suspects arrested in search operations

A Sri Lankan was also reportedly among those nabbed from Hayatabad.

MINGORA/PESHAWAR/SWABI: Following the interrogation of three terrorists arrested on June 15, law enforcement agencies conducted a search operation at Tahirabad and other areas in Mingora on Sunday.

Mingora police, security forces and Swat police raided Tahirabad, Banr, Rahmanabad and Latifabad, and searched every house, it was reported. The police also blocked all entry and exit routes to the areas.

Early Sunday morning, announcements were made from local mosques, forbidding people not to come out of their houses. Residents said security personnel entered houses and asked questions.

“Interrogation of suspects arrested in the operation is under way,” said a policeman. Incidents of shoot-outs were also reported to the police on Saturday night in the suburbs of Mingora.

According to sources, over the last two weeks, the movement of suspicious elements had been noticed in the area.

Police arrest 120 suspects from provincial capital

Around 120 people were arrested on suspicion in a door-to-door search operation in Phase 6 and 7 of Hayatabad early Sunday morning.

Around 600 policemen supervised by Cantt SP Faisal Kamran cordoned off the area at 5am and searched houses. The operation continued till 10am. At least 120 people were arrested and shifted to Tatara and Hayatabad police stations for interrogation.

There were reports that a Sri Lankan national was also arrested from a house in Phase 6. The police, however, has not confirmed those reports.

Swabi

In another search operation, police arrested 170 suspects, including an alleged criminal from Malikabad village, Gadoon Amazai in Swabi on Saturday night. The operation, led by Swat DPO and Mardan police, continued till Sunday morning.

Suspicious hideouts were raided and around 170 suspects were arrested.

Alleged criminal Kurram Mansoor was nabbed during the raid while a grenade, safety fuse and rocket launcher shells were recovered from his possession.

All those arrested were taken to police stations for further investigation.

Malikabad has a boundary with Buner district and the army carried out an operation in this area in 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2014.