QUETTA: Security forces arrested several members of a criminal gang involved in heinous crimes, including kidnapping for ransom, killings, highway robberies and carjacking, during a combing operation in the Lanjosaghari area of Dear Bugti district on Thursday.

Officials said the gang had been operating in the area for a long time, adding that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had taken serious notice of the increasing criminal activities of the Chakaranigang, and ordered a grand operation against them.

The Frontier Corps, Counter Terrorism Department, Levies and police cordoned off the Lanjosaghariarea on Thursday morning and asked the gang members to surrender, but they started firing.

The security forces took potions and returned fire. The gang members used heavy weapons against the forces.

However, the security forces succeededin reachingthe hideouts ofthe criminals and set them on fire.

`The hideouts and houses of the criminal gang were burnt and destroyed in the operation,` Home Department officials told Dawn.

Sources said many members of the gang were arrested and arms and ammunition seized during the operation.Staff Correspondent