KOHAT, Feb 14 Police arrested four Taliban in Hangu district on Sunday after an encounter, however, their local leader managed to escape.

Officials said that Doaba police received information that militant commander Noor Nawaz, wanted in several murder and terrorism cases, was hiding in a house at Darsamand village. Police besieged the area and asked him to surrender.

Instead of surrendering, the militant commander and his companions started firing and lobbed hand grenades at police party, they said. Police retaliated and managed to arrest a militant in injured condition.

The injured militant was identified as Mohammad Saeed. His three other companions identified as Adnan, Sher Rehman and Malik Ashraf agreed to surrender.

However Noor Nawaz managed to escape from the area. He is accused of attacking Doaba police station in June 2008 and killing 15 security personnel.

Meanwhile, the bomb disposal squad defused a rocket in Togh Lalma area and arrested an Afghan prayer leader along with 18 suspected militants on Sunday.

Police conducted operation against suspected militants and criminals in Bilitang, Sheikhan, Togh, Jarma, Kharmatu, Dhodha, Tappi, Ublan, Ghamkol, Ghulam Banda and Merozai.Police arrested Atiqueullah, an illegal Afghan refugee serving as prayer leader, and other 18 suspected terrorists during the operation and handed them over to the investigation branch for interrogation.

The seizure from the accused included three Kalashnikovs, one repeater, four shotguns, six rifles, 11 pistols, 462 cartridges and six kilograms of hashish.

Police also found a 107 MM rocket, fired by militants few days ago, and defused it.