MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 6: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) police have arrested all 10 accused involved in the bank robbery and killing of two persons in Bagh district last Wednesday.

The eleventh gang member was killed during exchange of fire with the police the same day.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Bagh Riyaz Abbasi told Dawn on Sunday that five robbers were arrested alive last Wednesday whereas the rest were apprehended on Saturday evening near Noon Bagla three days after the incident.

“They crossed the snow-capped Nanga Peer mountain on foot and were trying to sneak out of Bagh district but were caught at a police checkpost set up to hunt them down,” he said.

Two of the accused belonged to Rawalakot in AJK whereas the rest were from different parts of Pakistan, he said, adding that the accused had been planning for the past six months to rob the bank in Mallot.

Of the Rs2.3 million looted money, police claimed to have recovered Rs1.3 million from the accused, apart from some weapons.

“They will point out where they have buried or hidden the remaining amount and hopefully we will recover it soon,” SP Abbasi said.

The SP said that one of the accused was a technician in the Heavy Industries Taxila, another was a driver with the defence ministry.

The accused from Rawalakot was a vaccinator in CMH Rawalakot. Another accused from Gujar Khan had done masters from Ukraine.

The SP said that the gang leader, a resident of Balakot, had been living in Rawalpindi’s Commercial Market where he would shelter criminals from different areas.