Gunfire rocked different parts of the city over the weekend at police mounted an operation in which several thugs were arrested.

In Kaleerwe, a notorious city suburb, police mounted an operation on Saturday following several complaints by residents of ex convicts who have made their lives a living nightmare. Residents submitted a list of suspected thugs that have recently returned from Luzira and wreaked havoc in the area.

During a five-hour gun battle in Kaleerwe, police arrested over 10 thugs. The drama ensued when police led by Charles Nsaba, the Kaleerwe police station boss, moved to arrest Isma Ssembogga.

However, his colleagues started pelting the police with stones, and police fired in the air to ward off surging crowds. As the operation went on, other suspects clambered on top of shanty buildings to evade police, but were smoked out of their hideouts using teargas.

Those arrested were Gaddafi Ssentongo, Issa Lutaaya, Billy Katongole, Dan Kiiza, Julius Kamulegeya, Isma Ssembogga, Herbert and another identified as Suuna. Others were Isaac Ssebuwufu, Stone Karugaba and Frank Mwogezi.

Suspects arrested in Kaleerwe

On Friday night the Police arrested two suspects and recovered an automatic rifle in Kyengera. Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said the thugs were travelling in a Police patrol truck registration number UP 0618,

Two suspected thugs identified as Emmanuel Muyenze and one only identified as Isma were killed on the spot in the ensuing exchange of gunfire. In addition, a rogue policeman, Sgt. James Idri Okello, the driver of the patrol truck that was transporting the thugs, died in the hospital on Saturday.

The thugs who were arrested in Kyengera

About seven thugs, three of them Police officers, were involved in the botched robbery at Five Star Excellent Soap factory that culminated in the shootout with other policemen who had been deployed at the scene after a tip-off.

Nabakooba said the hunt was on for another Police officer identified as Nelson Chemonges

In Salaama on Entebbe road Saturday afternoon, police fired bullets in the air to disperse a mob which was lynching a thug that had just grabbed a lady's handbag.

On Jinja Road near Wampewo Avenue, police shot the tyres of a commuter taxi in which thugs were travelling. The thugs had just robbed sh500,000 from areas around Katwe.

The owner of the vehicle went to Jinja Road police to claim it only to be told it had been involved in a robbery. He said the vehicle had not been returned to him the previous night.