PESHAWAR: A suicide jacket was defused after militants abandoned it while fleeing the police here on Friday.

An official said two men riding a motorcycle opened fire on police, when they were signaled to stop near Achini Khwar in Sarband police station limits. He said the accused coming to Peshawar from Khyber Agency fled back to the tribal area, throwing a suicide jacket in the nearby woods.

He said personnel of Bomb Disposal Unit were called immediately who defused the vest safely. The official claimed that the police averted a sabotage attempt in Peshawar by seizing the suicide jacket.

Meanwhile, a bomb hoax caused panic among people in areas near Kambo bus stand on Friday evening. A Rescue Service 1122 spokesman said unknown caller had informed them about presence of an explosive device at the bus stand. However, he said that the call was found to be a hoax as the area was thoroughly checked and no bomb was found.

Meanwhile, West cantonment police arrested four people involved in robberies in Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. Police also recovered weapons and tools used for breaking locks, gates and walls.