Cops among 12 injured in Mardan suicide blast

MARDAN: Twelve persons, including policemen and a minor girl, sustained serious injuries in a suicide attack on a police van at the Kutchehry Chowk near the City Police Station, police and local sources said on Monday.

Regional Police Officer (RPO), Mardan, Mohammad Tahir Khan, told The News that a suicide bomber attempted to target a police vehicle at the Kutchehry Chowk outside the City Police Station. However, the police, heHowever, the police, he said, acted promptly and opened fire on the bomber, who blew himself up.

As a result, 12 persons identified as Head Constable Asif, constable Zahir Shah, cook Kasif, a minor girl Alishah, Shahid, Raza Khan, Shakir, Waqar, Syed Ghafar Shah, Wajid, Abdul Aziz and Liaqat Shah sustained serious injuries. The injured were taken to the Mardan Medical Complex (MMC) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

Sources said that eight to 10 kilograms of explosives were used in the blast. The RPO added that later police also defused a device fixed to a bicycle parked at the spot. Tahir Khan said two cops exhibited extraordinary bravery to foil a suicide attack on police. He added the cops suspected the attacker and challenged him but he opened fire.

“The cops retaliated after which the attacker detonated his explosive vest. Another 5kg IED he was carrying was later defused” said Tahir Khan. He said that all those wounded in the blast were out of danger.

The Kutchehry Chowk is located close to City Police Station and local courts where several other important buildings, including banks and the General Post office are sited. It is a thickly populated area in Mardan city.

Earlier, in December 2015, an office of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) located at Dwasaro Chowk in the limits of City Police Station in Mardan was targeted by a suicide bomber.  

As many as 26 persons were killed and 54 injured in that attack. In April 2016, the office of Excise and Taxation located in the same area was targeted by suicide bomber in which 16 persons had sustained injuries.