DADU, Dec 28: The regional police officer of Hyderabad has said a trained terrorist group exploded eight bombs to destroy 500kv lines and disrupt power supply to the country near here on Saturday.

The RPO, Ghulam Mohammad Malkani, was speaking at a press conference at the Dadu DPO office here on Sunday.

Terming the blasts a terrorist act, he said an investigation had been initiated into the incident, which would be conducted by Dadu city SHO Ghulam Murtaza Memon.

He said a joint meeting of officials of law enforcement agencies, Wapda and the police had been held to evolve a strategy to arrest the terrorists.

Mr Malkani informed the journalists that six bombs were exploded in first attempt and two after 15 minutes.

The RPO said the area of the incident had been cordoned off and the SHOs had been directed to guard main electricity poles in their areas.

He said an investigation was also continuing in another bomb explosion of February carried out to destroy the same line near the Arazi village.

Referring to the kidnapping of four passengers in the Thariri Mohabbat police station jurisdiction, Mr Malkani said since two police officials were involved in the kidnapping, an FIR was registered against them. He admitted that the police had failed to recover the kidnapped passengers.

An expert of bomb disposal squad, sub-inspector Abdul Saleem Vistro, said eight pound high explosive non-local material was used in the bombs.

SHO SUSPENDED: The RPO on Sunday suspended Thrari Mohabbat SHO Gul Mohammad Chachar due to the increasing crime rate in his jurisdiction and directed him to report at Police Lines, Dadu.

Sub-inspector Manzoor Ahmad Chandio was posted as the SHO of Thrari Mohabbat.

Accident: One person was killed and 10 others were injured when a passenger pickup collided head-on with a Thalho-bound car on the Indus Highway near Khairpur Nathan Shah on Sunday.

Car driver Abdul Sattar died in the accident.

Those injured were taken to the Khairpur Nathan Shah Hospital.

The pickup was on the way to Khairpur Nathan Shah.