Cop martyred in Peshawar grenade blast

PESHAWAR: A cop was martyred and two people sustained injuries in an explosion in a police-patrolling car near Karkhano Market here on Friday.

"One policeman was martyred while a cop and a passerby were injured when a grenade went off in the front seat of the patrolling car of the Rapid Response Force just outside Karkhano Market," an official confirmed.

The official added that police were investigating to find the nature of the explosion as well as the people behind it. "Two policemen and a passerby were wounded in the hand-grenade explosion. One head constable Bin Yamin died at hospital," said an official.

Reports said the car was escorting a team of the district administration that was ensuring implementation of the standard operating procedures introduced to contain the spread of the Covid-19.

Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari and Capital City Police Officer Abbas Ahsan visited the site of the blast.

The senior police officers as well as other government officials also attended the funeral prayer of the martyred cop at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines in Peshawar. A contingent of police presented a salute to the coffin of the fallen cop.

Talking to reporters, CCPO Abbas said security had been upgraded in Peshawar after the blast.

He said the officials of the bomb disposal unit and other investigators were probing to find if the incident was a mishap or an act of terrorism.

He said the security of the polio teams was also enhanced.

An increase was witnessed in attacks on the police and other law-enforcers across KP in recent weeks.

It was the second blast in Peshawar in the last four days. Last Tuesday, an explosion occurred at an Afghan school in Tajabad. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.