ISLAMABAD: Two more policemen were detained by protesters on Monday, while the police arrested more than 40 demonstration and recovered sticks and baton from them, police told Dawn on Monday.

The two men, who were deployed on the Islamabad Expressway, were briefly detained by members of religious parties who are holding a sit-in at Faizabad.

The men were mobbed by the demonstrators when they got too close to them, but were later released.

Another policeman was manhandled by protesters near I-8, sources said, adding that he was also rescued in the nick of time.

Also on Monday, police rounded up more than 40 people from Faizabad, 27 of whom were arrested by Industrial Area police, while the rest were held by Rural Area police.

The men were reportedly on their way to join the sit-in, police said, adding that five of them men were bringing batons and sticks, which could have been used against police in case of a confrontation.

A police officer also told Dawn that after arresting protesters, law enforcers would look to cut off the demonstrators’ food and water supply.

Most of them were getting meals from the hotels located near Faizabad and nearby religious seminaries.

Separately, a suspect was arrested from a picket near I-8 after he was found to be carrying explosives.

The Tarnol-resident was on a motorbike and did not stop when flagged down by a policeman at the picket and tried to head in the direction of the sit-in.

However he was intercepted before he reached Faizabad and explosive sticks, detonators and fuses were recovered from him.

The man was shifted to Aabpara police station for further legal action, but during preliminary investigation, it emerged that the man was taking the material to Sihala to use for construction purposes.

The man also produced a explosives license issued in the name of his father, however he had been booked for carrying more than the sanctioned amount of explosive material through the city.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2017