Courtesy: Dawn News
SWAT / LAKKI MARWAT: At least a dozen people, including police officials, lost their lives in a powerful explosion inside the Kabal police station late on Monday evening.
According to hospital sources, at least 57 people — including three civilians — sustained injuries in the blast.
The explosion that rocked the police station, which reportedly occurred on the premises of the Counter Terrorism Department office, came hours after a raid by the CTD in Lakki Marwat resulted in the killing of three suspected militants.
District Police Officer Swat Shafiullah stated that the blast took place at about 8:20pm inside the police station. However, the nature of the explosion could not be independently confirmed by the time this report went to press.
Malakand DIG says explosion occurred at weapons depot; three suspected militants killed in Lakki Marwat
However, speaking to media persons later at night, DIG Malakand Nasir Mehmood Satti said the incident was not a result of any terrorist activity or suicide blast but “carelessness” as per the initial investigation. He said the explosion occurred at a weapon storage facility inside an old office of the Counter Terrorism Department on the premises of the police station.
The police officer, however, said a probe was still underway in light of emerging evidence.
20 trapped under rubble
The blast, which shattered the roof of the police station, the CTD office, and a mosque located inside the station, was also followed by a fire. According to senior police officials, at least 20 policemen were trapped under the roof, which collapsed due to the intensity of the explosion.
that it seemed around 10 heavily armed militants were well prepared for the encounter.
“Three militants, including Nouman, were killed and another militant, Tehseenullah, sustained injuries,” a senior CTD official said.
However, he said, the CTD believed other militants had sustained injuries and could be present in the area terming it the reason why a search operation was launched in the area by police and the security forces.
The officials said Inspector Javed Iqbal and Constable Irfan of the CTD were seriously wounded and shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, Bannu, and Khalif Gulnawaz Hospital.
Senior CTD officials said that following the search operation, it was confirmed that an organised militant group was involved in the targeted killing of the retired military officer.