SUKKUR, Jan 15: About 120 people, 20 of them women, were arrested from various villages of Rustam, Kot Shahoo and Mehmoodabad police stations on Saturday during a massive operation conducted by Rangers and police to recover two kidnapped judges.

With their arrest a total number of suspects in police custody top 600 people. All the arrested people have been locked up at Lakhi, Rustam and Chak police stations.

The operation was conducted in Mehmood Panhwar, Kakra, Jatoi, Qadir Bux Jatoi, Murtaza Jatoi, Khoso, Kharoos and Saeed Marfani villages. Heavy contingents of Rangers and police cordoned these villages, conducted house-to-house search and detained 300 people of which 120 were arrested.

Police also seized three tractors and 15 weapons from these villages, claiming tractors were stolen. It was the fifth massive operation of its kind in which men and women were arrested from different villages for the recovery of judges Abdul Wahab Abbasi and Farooq Ahmed Channa who had been kidnapped by armed men on Dec 3.

Police have intensified operations after tremendous pressure from the federal government, chief justices of the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court and arresting men, women and children to recover the judges.

Sources told Dawn that a total of 600 people are in the custody of Rangers and police. Two days ago Rangers conducted raids on villages of Chandio, Rind and Lolai tribes and picked up 57 people. Major Farid Jan of Rangers warned that politicians, members of parliament and landlords, who use to support outlaws, will not be spared.

Shaman Jatoi, who was said to be directly involved in the kidnapping of judges, and his entire family including women and children are also in the custody. While family members of Khadim Lolai, Amano Tunio, and Jhandi Brohi, are also in custody to pressurize the kidnappers to release the kidnapped judges.