SAHIWAL, Sept 17: The local police arrested another two suspects who were involved in an attempt to kill the Sahiwal DPO in a bomb blast in Chichawatni on Feb 24 this year. DPO Javed Hussain Shah produced the two suspects, Asif and Siddiqui Baba, before journalists on Monday.

Admitting their affiliation with the defunct Sipah—Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), the accused told reporters that they wanted to kill the DPO who had taken the life of Riaz Basra, the head of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. At that time, the DPO was posted at Vehari.

They said that Maqsood Teddi, Adeel Akhtar and Akhtar Dogar had planned to kill the DPO when he was transferred to Sahiwal.

Accused Asif said he got training to manufacture explosives from Miramshah and brought the device from there.

He said their three accomplices had to plant the device at the site of the Qul ceremony of inspector Rana Saeed Ahmed where DPO Javed Shah and other policemen were expected. But the device exploded on the way while being shifted to the site on a bicycle, killing Teddi, Akhtar and Dogar on the spot, he said.

The DPO told reporters that after the abortive attempt on his life the police had arrested seminary nazim Pir Abdul Jalil, Zahid Butt and Qari Aneesur Rehamn while Qari Ashraf and Tahir Gujjar are still at large.

The DPO claimed that the police would arrest the accused who had provided arms to terrorists.

A case has been registered against the accused under the terrorism act.

ARRESTED: Harappa police on Monday claimed to have arrested one of the four accused who had kidnapped two minor girls.