BAHAWALPUR, Nov 3: Local police on Saturday claim to have traced alleged killers of last Sunday’s church carnage in which 15 Christians and a constable on duty were gunned down.

The culprits have been identified on the information provided by fax operator, Shafiq, who had faxed a message to a Multan daily, accepting the responsibility of the massacre, Dawn learnt here on Saturday night.

It is learnt the ring-leader has been arrested from a katchi abadi in Karachi by the Bahawalpur police, who have brought him back. The local police have completed its task in Bahawalpur and other parts of the district as all alleged killers have reportedly been arrested.

Police have not disclosed any information regarding the arrests, but claim they have solved the mystery. Punjab IGP Malik Asif Hayat is likely to make public the arrest of killers in a Press conference on Nov 5.

Meanwhile, three constables — Ajmal, Iqbal and Ashiq — deployed as guard at the ST. Dominican Church have been suspended from service for negligence of duty.

Only the deceased constable, Saleem Bhatti, was on duty at the time of attack on the church. The other constables claimed that they had gone for breakfast.