NOWSHERA, Oct 16: Armed villagers got five teenaged boys, who were kidnapped for ransom allegedly by a notorious gang from mountains near Nizampur, and caught an accomplice of the kidnappers, sources said.

Villagers said that some 10 boys of Kahi village had gone for picnic to the mountain when they were held hostage by kidnapper Khan Bahadar and his men Qeemat Gul, Rustam Shah and others.

They said that the gangsters first deprived the boys of their food, cash and mobile phones, and later took away five of them.

The sources said that the boys reached the village in the evening and informed the people about the incident.

The kidnapped boys were Mazhar Khan, Fazal Karim, Asmatullah, Irfanullah and Mohammad Zahir.

Eyewitnesses said that about 500 armed people gathered in the village and started chasing the kidnappers.

The villagers succeeded in catching Qeemat Gul and questioned him about the whereabouts of the boys and kidnappers.

The villagers kept Qeemat Gul with them, who led them to the hideout of the kidnappers.

However, he informed the ringleader, Khan Bahadar, on his mobile phone that the armed villagers were chasing them, they said.

Sensing the danger, Khan Bahadar left the boys, who were later recovered by the villagers.

The Nizampur police registered a case on the report of Khaista Gul against Khan Bahadar, Rustam Shah and others. Qeemat Gul was handed over to police.

The area people have convened a meeting of the Khattak Qaumi Jirga to discuss the situation and take a collective action against criminals in the area.