KOHAT, March 7: Two alleged terrorists were arrested from the basement of a mosque in Malgeen area of Lachi tehsil during an operation here on Wednesday.

Police backed by armoured personnel carriers conducted raids at several places for arrest of the alleged terrorists. After sighting police, they ran from a house and took shelter in the basement of a local mosque, law enforcers said.

They said that after showing some resistance both of them surrendered to police. The arrested persons were identified as Haji Mohammad and Noor Nawaz.

Police seized a small machinegun, a set of goggles, two hand grenades and surgical equipment form their possession.

They were brought to Lachi police station for interrogation where a case was registered against them.

The district police officer in a statement said that both the wanted militants were involved in different crimes. He said that police commandoes, elite force and APCs surrounded the entire area and advised the villagers to remain indoors till completion of the operation.

SMUGGLERS HELD: Police claimed to have arrested three drug smugglers and as many armed robbers in two different incidents the other day.

Officials said that police got information that smugglers would try to transport huge a quantity of drugs from Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency through Kohat tunnel to down country.They said that officials of Riaz Shaheed police station stopped a suspicious car bearing registration number ATB- 611 near the Kohat tunnel toll plaza and recovered 10 kilograms of fine quality of opium and six kilograms of hashish from it. Three persons travelling in the car were also arrested.

The arrested persons were identified as Nabi Gul, Aftab and Janas Khan. “All of the accused are residents of Peshawar,” officials said.

In the second incident, the district police officer received information that robbers were preparing to loot people on Kohat-Orakzai Agency road near Zara Mela.

A police team was sent to the area to arrest the robbers. The police party succeeded in arresting the robbers after little resistance. They were identified as Ibne Ameen, Khanzada and Said Khan, residents of Muslimabad area. Police also seized one Kalashnikov, two pistols and six kilograms of hashish form their possession. The Jarma police registered a case against the accused.

Official said that one of the accused, Ibne Ameen, was a fugitive and wanted by Bilitang police in a case of robbery.