LANDI KOTAL, Oct 31: The authorities on Tuesday arrested head of a pro-government peace committee in Khyber Agency for his alleged involvement in kidnapping cases.

Officials said that Essa Khan, the head of peace committee, abducted a resident of Bajaur Agency some time ago and kept him in habeas corpus. They said that Essa Khan was lodged at Jamrud lockup where he would be interrogated for his involvement in illegal activities.

Essa Khan formed a peace committee with the assistance of local administration in Chora after security forces destroyed a hideout of militants in the area and killed a number of militants, who had taken refuge there after fleeing upper Orakzai Agency.

Meanwhile, a nine-year-old student was injured critically when he was hit by a stray bullet during a wedding party in Mirdadkhel area of Landi Kotal on Tuesday.

The injured boy identified as Shehzad was shifted to Peshawar after doctors at the local hospital declared his condition critical. The local administration claims to have imposed a ban on firing in the air in Landi Kotal.

However, the ban was flouted by local residents as Landi Kotal and its surrounding areas reverberated with frequent bursts of Kalashnikovs and other weapons during wedding ceremonies on Eid days.

Local officials, when contacted, insisted that no one had so far lodged any complaint with them about firing in the air.

Also, curfew remained imposed in most parts of Malikdinkhel, Sipah and Shalobar areas in Bara on Wednesday as security forces continued search and cordon operation there for the fourth consecutive day.

Officials said that about 250 tribesmen from Sipah tribe were arrested during the operation from different areas. They said that all the arrested tribesmen were shifted to Fort Salop for questioning.

Security forces made announcements through loudspeakers, asking residents of Shalobar, Sipah and Malikdinkhel to remain indoors and avoid coming out of their homes.

Forces also plugged all the entry and exit routes to the areas where curfew was imposed. The imposition of curfew caused acute shortage of food and other daily use items in the region.

Local sources said that hundreds of families had gone to Bara to celebrate Eid with their relatives but they were stranded there owing to imposition of curfew and launching of search operation.

Meanwhile, Al-Khidmat Foundation distributed meat of sacrificial animals among 4,000 displaced families from Bara, presently living at Jalozai camp, on the second and third days of Eidul Azha.

A press release issued by Al-Khidmat Foundation said that a total of 733 animals including 578 sheep, 71 goats and 85 buffaloes were slaughtered at Jalozai camp on the second day of Eid.

The Foundation selected 4,000 deserving and needy families and distributed the meat among them through its workers.