PESHAWAR, June 12: The city police, in a six-hour grand operation in the jurisdiction of six rural and two urban police stations, arrested 71 proclaimed offenders (POs) and 56 others for harbouring the hardened criminals, and seized a large quantity of weapons. A constable and a PO was also injured in an exchange of fire during the operation in Badhber police station limits.

This was stated by SSP Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Marwat at a press conference at the Police Headquarters here on Wednesday.

He said the operation was started at 2am and ended at 10am, in which 500 police personnel and one squad of Crime Investigation Department took part. Three armoured personal carriers were also used in the operation.

Dr Ishtiaq said the police had planned the operation 10 days back after receiving information about the presence of POs, through the people of their respective areas. “This is for the first time that the people reposed confidence in the police and provided information about the POs’ presence in their areas,” he added.

The SSP said in the jurisdiction of Nasirbagh police station, 16 POs and seven others providing safe haven to criminals were arrested, and in Badhber, 15 POs and five others were netted during the operation.

In Mathra, 12 POs and the same number of other outlaws were arrested. Whereas, in the jurisdiction of Daudzai police station, 10 POs and five others were nabbed for harbouring them.

In the limits of Urmar, Chamkani, Matani and Pishtakhara police stations, 18 POs and 27 outlaws were held for providing protection to them.

All the POs were involved in heinous crimes and 56 others, who harboured them, were booked under 216 PPC, he said.

The SSP further said that in Badhber locality, a proclaimed offender Karamat opened fire at the police party, injuring constable Nasir. The PO was also injured when police retaliated, he added.

During the operation, the police seized 37 Kalashnikovs, 63 rifles, 48 pistols, 48 hand-grenades and 4,800 cartridges, he said.

One of the arrested POs, Sahib Gul alias Feetay, is accused of four murders and involvement in three police encounters and four other heinous crimes.