SAHIWAL, Oct 14: The Kassowal police claimed on Tuesday having arrested a man in the Chak 117/12-L graveyard with “eight bottles containing high explosive material”. Five other suspects made good their escape.

Information gleaned by Dawn revealed that Muhammad Hanif (of Rahim Yar Khan), who had been declared fugitive by the police, moved to Chak 117/12-L in Sahiwal two years ago, where he started living in a mud-cottage of the local graveyard.

Villagers having suspicions about Hanif’s activities and his acquaintance with many people unknown in the locality informed the Kassowal police which, led by its sub-inspector Rai Ashraf Kharal, monitored the man’s doings.

On Monday, a police team raided the graveyard where six people had got together and arrested Hanif. The five visitors took to the heels towards fields, according to the police who claimed to have recovered eight bottles containing explosive material, besides a pistol and 25 bullets.

The Bomb Disposal Squad of Chichawatni confirmed to the police that the material in the glass bottles was highly explosive.

“One bottle is enough to blow up a passenger bus”, Rai Ashraf informed Dawn while explaining about the nature of the explosive material.

The Kassowal police registered a case against Hanif and five others under the Explosive Act of 1908. The hunt for the absconders, identified by Hanif as Faiz, Kali, Ghulam Husain, Jumma and Fida Husain, was launched.

Chichawatni circle DSP Sadiq Chandio told Dawn that each bottle contained explosive material and had fuses and wires.

The Kassowal police handed over eight bottles to Raja Zafar, head of the Bomb Disposal Squad of Civil Defence, for further analysis of the material.

District Civil Defence Officer Asghar Ali said a report would be prepared in three to four days.