RAWALPINDI, Nov 28: Panic gripped security agencies in Islamabad Wednesday night when the police recovered over a dozen hand grenades and landmines from the premises of the Police Lines Headquarters.

A senior police official, on condition of anonymity, said a sweeping operation was being carried out when the security staff recovered 16 hand grenades and two landmines.

When additional Superintendent of Police Nasir Aftab was contacted, he said: “Some grenades, eight to nine in number, and three landmines had been found lying in the Police Lines Headquarters, but it is yet to be ascertained whether those were live or dud.”

Shortly after the recovery of grenades and landmines, which are said to be Russian made, the bomb disposal experts and police contingents were called to the scene located close to a firing range.

A police official said the grenades and landmines seemed to be three to four years old as there had been no police activity in the ground for about last three years.

Investigation has been launched into the incident.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist was intercepted and arrested by the police when he tried to break through the VVIP security cordon at Ammar Chowk a few moments before President Pervez Musharraf’s movement on Wednesday, police said.

The motorcycle rider identified as Arafat Shafi, a close relative of a senior police official, was taken into custody by a traffic constable, Waqar Hussain, and handed over to the Airport police.