BAHAWALPUR, Oct 11 Regional Police Officer Syed Abid Qadri claimed on Monday to have arrested three out of four suspects in the Sept 25 Satellite Town Al-Qamar mosque attack.

Addressing a press conference at his office, he claimed those arrested were involved in seven cases of terrorism.

Reports said some armed men had allegedly killed two people and injured seven others after Fajr prayers on Sept 25.

According to the RPO, a team, headed by DPO Babar Bakht Qureshi, found a clue to the accused. Two of the arrested were identified as Shakir Shamsi and Waseem Abbas of Satellite Town's Mailaiwali Gali.

He said the police also recovered from them four pistols, rounds and a 125-CC motorbike used in the attack. He said the third suspect -- Niaz of Chak 62-WB, Vehari, -- was wanted in several cases and was a proclaimed offender. He said Niaz allegedly provided them with arms for the attack. Their fourth accomplice namely Sajjad alias Shaka, a resident of the same locality, was absconding.

Qadri said apparently it was an act of terrorism. He said the attackers had tried to kill Khateeb Maulvi Abdul Khaliq Rabbani who escaped unhurt.

He said all the four accused were allegedly involved in seven incidents of terrorism in which six people were killed. One of them was killed during accused's attack on Madni mosque at Chamb Kalan near Mian Channu in Khanewal district on Oct 5, 2010. He said on Jan 1, 2009, the accused shot dead Maulvi Abdul Khaliq Rabbani's student in front of Maulvi's house near Al-Qamar mosque street in Satellite Town, Bahawalpur. On Jan 28, 2009, they opened fire on a Khateeb in Satellite Town near Kanjoo Chowk, killing a passerby.

Qadri said they allegedly killed vendor Islamuddin on Oct 19, 2009 near Bahawalpur bus stand, a prayer leader at Sodagran mosque in Hasanpur locality inside Farid Gate and shot injured a Khateeb at Abu Bakr mosque in Model Town-C on March 19, 2009.

About the Chishtian firing incident, the RPO said a Lahore DIG had been entrusted with the inquiry. He said the Chishtian SHO and DSP had been suspended from service.

STUDENTS CLASH Two student groups of computer sciences department on Monday had an armed clash at Baghdadul Jadid campus of Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB).

On receipt of information, a police contingent reached the spot.

DSP Azaiz Ahmed Khan told Dawn the students fled after seeing the police. “Further investigation is under way.”

The university PRO expressed his ignorance about the incident, saying he would collect details.