JHANG, Jan 9: The Chiniot city and Saddar police have arrested eight hardened criminals involved in murder, kidnapping for ransom and fraud cases during the last nine days.

This was claimed by District Police Officer Khadim Husain while talking to newsmen here on Friday. The DPO said on Dec 10 last, some unidentified people killed Abdul Shakoor of Khurianwala, Faisalabad district, and threw his body at a deserted place near Instaphone Tower in the suburbs of Chiniot city.

He said a special police team, after investigation, succeeded in tracing and arresting five killers namely Azhar, Allah Ditta, Afzal, Akbar and Hasan Ali, all residents of Chiniot city.

In the second incident, the DPO said, Shafiq of Mohalla Fatehabad received a letter in which he had been threatened that he would be killed if he did not pay Rs500,000 to Anwar alias Battrianwala. When he did not pay the money, some unidentified people tried to kidnap him, but he was saved by the area people.

Later, the Chiniot city police arrested main accused Mohammad Anwar. The DPO said Mohammad Alam, a trailer driver, and Aslam Baloch were also taken into custody for embezzling 200 bales of cotton.