Police inspector, constable martyred in Kohat

KOHAT: A police inspector and a constable embraced martyrdom when terrorists attacked a police party in the mountainous Nadir Banda area while two militants were killed in the subsequent clash, officials said on Friday.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Kohat Abbas Majid Marwat told reporters that a major operation had been underway for the past three days in the border areas of Kohat’s Lachi tehsil and surrounding mountains to eliminate terrorists. He said that during Friday morning’s operation, terrorists targeted the police, resulting in the martyrdom of Inspector Tahir Nawaz and Constable Muhammad Ali.

Multiple suspects were taken into custody, while several terrorists managed to flee in injured condition, he said, adding two terrorists were killed in a police encounter.

The slain militants were identified as Yasir and Muslim who were involved in the killing of SHO Tahir Nawaz and Constable Muhammad Ali.

Just two days earlier, three policemen were martyred in a terrorist attack in Banda Daud Shah in Karak, while two more were injured in an operation yesterday. Terrorists were reportedly seen fleeing towards the mountainous boundary areas of Kohat and Karak, prompting intensified joint operations.

The ongoing operation is being led by DPO Kohat Dr Zahidullah and SP Operations Sanobar Khan, with heavy contingents of police and security forces deployed in the region. Officials confirmed that a number of suspects have been shifted to undisclosed locations for interrogation.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayers of the martyred policemen were offered at Police Lines, Kohat, with full state honours. Commissioner Kohat Region Moatism Billah Shah, RPO Kohat Abbas Majid Marwat, DPO Kohat Dr Zahidullah, Deputy Commissioner Rahimullah Mehsud, senior police and army officers, local dignitaries, and the families of the martyrs attended the funeral.