September 16, 2002	Monday	Rajab 8, 1423

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HYDERABAD, Sept 15: A passenger was killed and five others, including a girl, were seriously injured when a bomb went off in a Karachi-bound air-conditioned coach here on Sunday.

The bomb planted beneath a seat exploded with a bang at 11.45am, as the coach (JA-9993) was passing in front of the ant-corruption police station, near Barrage Colony.

The blast created a big hole beneath the seat, besides damaging left side of the coach.

The man killed in the blast was identified as Khawar (25), a resident of Peshawar.

The injured were identified as Mohammad Maqsood, Zahid, Noman, Areeba (Noman’s sister), and Keso. Maqsood also suffered injuries in eyes as gunpowder entered his eyes.

Some of the passengers who had not suffered any major injuries and were mainly shocked, left after the incident without visiting any hospital.

The head Moharir of the anti-corruption police station, Razaque, informed the police control about the blast. The AIG police, Hyderabad Region, Abdul Rauf Yusufzai, along with other officials reached the spot and made arrangements for shifting of the injured to the Liaquat University Hospital.

Dr Sohail Khanzada, who had initially examined Khawar, said he had suffered multiple injuries. His spinal cord had broken and his lungs had collapsed as a result of the explosion, he said.

Talking to Dawn, Zahid, an injured, said: “I heard an explosion and soon a haze of thick smoke enveloped the entire bus.” The Cantonment police have detained the driver, Raheem Dad, and two conductors, Mohammad Maqbool and Anwar.