PESHAWAR, Feb 12: In a grand operation, Peshawar rural police arrested 66 proclaimed offenders (POs) and 50 others for harbouring outlaws, and seized 104 guns of different calibres and 1,800 cartridges.

This was stated by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Marwat, in a press conference at Police Headquarters here on Tuesday.

He said that 20 police mobiles, all the SHOs, equipped with sophisticated arms included three armed personnel carrier, had taken part in the crackdown.

The SSP told newsmen that it had been planned 20 days back, and the police selected seven rural areas of the city including Badhber, Matani, Daudzai, Mathra, Chamkani, Ormar and Pishtakhara. The five-hour crackdown against the outlaws was launched at 5 am, he added.

He said, in Badhber 27 POs and their eight supporters were arrested, while five kalashnikovs, five rifles, a shotgun, a stengun, three pistols and 375 cartridges were seized. In Matani 10 criminals were nabbed, and four rifles, a pistol and 62 cartridges were taken into custody.

In Daudzai area three POs and 11 others were arrested, while four kalashnikovs, seven rifles, six pistols and 444 cartridges were seized. The police arrested five POs and their six supporters in Mathra, and recovered six kalashnikovs, seven rifles, five shotguns, seven pistols and 300 cartridges.

During the operation in Chamkani area, 11 outlaws with six supporters were nabbed. Five kalashnikovs, five rifles, seven  shotguns, eight pistols and 400 cartridges were also recovered in the crackdown.

In Ormar and Pishtakhara localities, the police team arrested nine POs and 17 others, while eight kalashnikovs, six rifles, a pistol and 227 cartridges were seized during the operation.

Answering to a question, the SSP said that all the proclaimed offenders were wanted by the police in heinous crimes including murders and dacoities.