QUETTA, Sept 15: Law-enforcement agencies rounded up about 20 suspects during a search operation carried out in the provincial capital and other areas in the wake of recent sectarian killings. According to sources, police teams with personnel of other law-enforcement agencies raided different places in the Sariab Road and Joint Road areas here and in Mastung, arresting around 20 suspects having links with defunct religious organizations.

“The law-enforcement agencies continued the raids the whole night for the arrest of those involved in sectarian killings in Quetta,” a police official told this correspondent on Thursday. He said the suspects had been handed over to special police teams for interrogation.

The sources said police and the anti-terrorism force had raided some places in Mastung and taken at least five people belonging to banded organizations into custody.

A joint team of police and other law-enforcement agencies was also interrogating the three top members of defunct religious organizations arrested by Balochistan police from Jacobabad on Tuesday. “They were wanted by Balochistan in various terrorist incidents in Quetta and other areas of the province,” sources said.

The sources expressed the hope that information from the suspects would help trace out the gang involved in the recent sectarian killings in Quetta.

The provincial administration has beefed up security in and around the provincial capital deploying extra security personnel.

Heavy contingents of Frontier Corps and Balochistan Reserve Police with armoured personnel carriers area helping in maintaining law and order in the city.

Security teams are checking vehicles and people at all entry points on the city and a number of checkpoints have been set up.

Police seized a large number of motorcycles in the provincial capital for violation of the ban on pillion riding.