KOHAT, June 27: Some militants kidnapped three people, including two officials of a tribal area, and also took away their vehicles in separate incidents in the Doaba area of the Hangu district on Friday, sources told Dawn.

Abdur Rehman, in-charge of the Chapri checkpost near the Hangu-Kurram Agency border, was coming from Peshawar along with his Levis guard, constable Shoeb, when militants intercepted their car and whisked them away.

In another incident, Naryab Union Council Nazim Fazal Akbar was kidnapped along with his companion near Doaba. Later, the kidnappers released the nazim, but took away the other person accusing him of supporting local NGOs, police sources said.

Relatives of the victim, Sadiqur Rehman, have not lodged any report with police and the Taliban have also not made any contact with the family.

The released nazim, who had been kidnapped by the Taliban once before, said they had been kidnapped by masked men while going to Naryab from Doaba.

BANDIT ARRESTED: A wanted bandit was arrested in injured condition and his accomplices escaped after an exchange of fire with a police party on the Kohat-Nizampur road on Friday.

At a press briefing at his office, District Police Officer Abdullah Khan said the bandits had been looting passengers on the Kohat-Nizampur road, used by people as an alternative route due to Taliban threat on the Indus Highway in Darra Adamkhel, for sometime.

He said the Gumbat police saw them in the Nelao Kandao area and asked them to surrender, but they started firing on the police party. After an encounter, Dilshad was injured and was later arrested. His two accomplices escape in the mountains.

The DPO said the bandit was wanted by the Punjab and NWFP police in cases of attempted murder, highway robberies and for possession of illegal arms and ammunition. Police recovered one Kalashnikov and four chargers from his possession.

The Gumbat police registered a case against him and his partners. ANF: The Anti-Narcotics Force, Kohat, arrested two people, including an employee of the police department, who were allegedly smuggling hashish from Darra Adamkhel on Friday.

The police official was identified as Rehmatullah, a resident of Lakki Marwat presently working as constable in Police Lines, Kohat. The other arrested man was identified as Ali, a resident of Kohat.

They were arrested by the ANF with 12kg of hashish they were carrying in their car.

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