HYDERABAD, May 4: The DIG police of Hyderabad zone, Shaukat Shah, has said that police have arrested 78 suspected criminals during an operation launched in some districts of the zone and have seized weapons and looted property.

He was briefing journalists at the police headquarters on Sunday.

The DIG said that the police launched the operation on Thursday after kidnapping of five people in Thatta.

He said four of them had been released while one hostage who had been handed over to some other kidnapping group was released after police exerted pressure on the kidnapers.

He said that 78 suspected criminals had been arrested and 18 shotguns and rifles, 20 pistols/revolvers, 16 motorbikes, four trucks, two trailers, one tractor, one rickshaw, 17 kilogram charas (cannabis), 1000 of cartridges and bullets of different bore were recovered.

He said that no hostage was found because of previous operations in Thatta and Tando Mohammad Khan dacoits had changed their hideouts.

He hoped that this operation would yield positive results.

He expressed the hope that robbers in a triple murder-cum-robbery case would be identified and arrested.

He said police had not yet concluded their investigation in Ali Hassan Solangi’s case in which the police had also moved an application seeking cancellation of pre-arrest bail of the accused.

He said that if their bails were cancelled the case would further be investigated.

He said that no formal drive was launched for checking the sale of mainpuri and gutka but he would form vigilance teams for its surveillance.

He said that DPO, SPO and SHO would be held responsible and would have to face action if the sale of these hazardous items were confirmed in their areas.

He said that current search operation was launched in Thatta, Nawabshah, Dadu, Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Jamshoro and Matiari and dacoits’ sanctuaries had been eliminated from there.