HARIPUR, March 12: District Police Officer Haripur Mohammad Ali Gandapur has claimed that due to best strategies of the police a considerable decline in the crime rate has been witnessed during the last two and half months. This he said while addressing a news conference here on Saturday. He, however, said the geographical distribution of the district’s revenue limits, mainly because of 97km long Tarbela Lake, had always created obstacles for the police to apprehend criminals, who mostly come from neighbouring districts.

Mr Gandapur said the police had arrested 69 absconders, 800 suspects, 15 accused of robbery and burglaries, 33 rifles, 66 pistols, 1,550 cartridges, 10 Kalashnikovs and 2,000 feet of fine quality timber.