PESHAWAR: The local police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested eight people, including a woman, for extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other crimes, and seized arms and explosives.

The arrests were made during raids in various localities, said a police official.

The official said four people, including Javed Khan, Irfanullah, Aslam and woman Shin Khalai, were arrested for threatening a citizen for extortion.

Rizwanullah of Garhi Rajkol area informed Paharipura police that he had received threatening calls from unidentified people, who demanded Rs2million extortion.

The complainant is stated to be an employee of the Chief Minister`s House in Peshawar.

The official said the police had arrested Javed Khan during a raid on his house, while his three accomplices were taken into custody from different areas afterwards.

He said the arrested woman disclosed she used to lure wealthy people for kidnapping them with the help of his associates for ransom.

The official said the group had received the Rs0.8 million ransom for the safe release of Peshawar`s Amir Mohammad kidnapped earlier this year.

He said contractor Khalid Khan was also kidnapped by the group in Paharipura area by the same group and police had recovered him.

Also in the day, police chased a group of suspected persons riding a motorcycle after they refused to stop at a Khyber Bazaar checkpost and arrested them after a brief encounter.

He said Faheem of Sardar Ahmad Jan Colony and Mohammad Iqbal of Dalazak Road locality were arrested on the spot, while Farhat of Kishwarabad area and Sher Zaman of Charsadda Road locality were taken into custody afterwards.

The official said police recovered three improvised explosive devices, one unlicensed pistol, four cellphones, over Rs58,000 cash and a motorcycle from the arrested men`s possession.

He said Mohammad Yousaf of Wazir Bagh area had complained to the Khan Razig police that the suspects had issued him death threats in case of non-payment of ransom.