Prayer leader, cop lose lives in Takht Bhai raid

TAKHT BHAI: The prayer leader of a mosque, who was wanted by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), was killed and a cop martyred during a raid in Jahangirabad Khat Killay here on Friday, sources said.

The sources said that the prayer leader of the mosque Maulana Fawad Khan hailing from Bakhshali village in Mardan was wanted by the CTD in connection with a case. The CTD officials went to the mosque to make the arrest. The prayer leader Maulana Fawad was present in his room on the third floor of the mosque and had agreed to surrender to the police when he was informed that he was being arrested.

However, the prayer leader allegedly opened fire on the raiding party and martyred the cop Usman Shah from Par Hoti area in Mardan in a bid to escape from the spot when the CTD officials came downstairs and started waiting for the Maulana in the police van.

The CTD officials left behind Usman Shah to bring the Maulana downstairs. The cops also returned fire in which the Maulana was injured and later succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, the local people blocked the main Malakand Road to traffic to protest against the killing of the prayer leader. However, later a heavy contingent of the police arrived at the spot and dispersed the protesters to open the road to traffic.