DADU, May 6: Eight alleged bandits were arrested by the police on the Indus Highway near Mehar on Tuesday.

The DPO, Dadu, Ali Akbar Bhangwar, told journalists at his office that on a tip off, the police arrested the bandits when they were crossing the highway to go to the Kucha area.

Those arrested were identified as Ali Haider alias Hyderoo, Wazir, Ashiq Ali Kandhro, Mumtaz Sodhar, Hanif Mazari, Riaz Hussain, Rakhial Solangi and Munir Kandhro.

The Dadu police chief said that three Kalashnikovs, three shotguns, two rifles, 300 bullets and 100 cartridges were recovered from their possession.

He said that the gang was involved in the murder of former DSP, Mehar, Malik Sher Ali, during an encounter in 1995.

He claimed that over 100 criminal cases — including those of murder, kidnapping and robbery — were registered against them with different police stations of Larkana, Dadu and Naushahro Feroze districts.

The DPO said that the police also arrested a five-member inter- provincial gang of motorcycle and car snatchers, including an ASI, near Khairpur Nathan Shah on the Indus Highway.

Accused Shafiq Ahmed Brohi, Abdul Malik Brohi, Huzoor Bukhsh Brohi, residents of Khuzdar (Balochistan) were arrested with an ASI of Dadu city police, Iftikhar Hussain Jamali, and Akbar Mallah, as they were fleeing after snatching a motorcycle from Niaz Hussain.

The police claimed to have seized three pistols and 50 bullets from their possession.