LAHORE: Inspector General of Punjab Police Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera says the operation against criminals in riverine area in south Punjab is in the second phase with over 300 personnel of police and eilte force combing the area to eliminate remaining gangsters.

Talking to the media at his office on Friday, the IGP said Kachi Younis and Daolatabad islands (in the River Indus) along Rahim Yar Khan had been cleared.

He said 22 hardened criminals and proclaimed offenders (POs) involved in murder, dacoity, kidnap for ransom and other heinous crimes had been arrested by the police whereas gangster Imran Eindhar was killed in an encounter.

Earlier, the IGP presided over a meeting of senior police officers at the provincial police office.

He was briefed by the officers that 10 master trainers from Punjab police were in Turkey these days to get training to make anti-riot force more effective to ensure the maintenance of law and order in the province.

After completion of their training, they would train 3,000 policemen in Punjab who had already been selected for anti-riot training.

The IGP was further told that the Punjab police had purchased 92 horses for patrolling purpose and repair and construction work of stables had also been completed.

Later, Mushtaq Sukhera distributed cash awards worth Rs2.1 million among 60 police officers of four districts -Multan, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Muzaffargarh -for discharging their duties diligently and efficiently.