KARACHI, Feb 28: Anti-violent Crime Cell of police smashed a gang involved in several cases of kidnapping for ransom, and arrested three of its members, including a sector in-charge of the Sunni Tehrik.

Officials said the AVCC acting upon a tip-off raided a house in a shantytown in Khawaja Ajmair Nagri and arrested Qari Ghulam Hussain, sector in-charge of the ST in Gulshan-i-Maymar, Shirazul Haq and Khusi Mohammed. Two TT pistols, a police uniform and several fake registration number plates of cars were recovered from their possession, the officials added.

The official said that one of the gang’s victims was a student, Rashid Ali, who was kidnapped on November 15, 2006 in the limits of Manghopir. The kidnappers released him after receiving Rs1 million as ransom collected by Zahoor in Islamabad.

They said the gang also kidnapped an officer of the Sui Southern Gas Company on Feb 18, 2006 in the limits of Sachal police and set him free after receiving Rs500,000 as ransom.