MINGORA, Aug 13: Four people were killed and eight others injured when a vehicle of the National Rural Support Programme struck a roadside explosive devise in the Ushu Valley, near the tourist resort of Kalam on Monday.

Eyewitnesses said the device exploded with a big bang at about 4.30pm and the vehicle was completely damaged and caught fire.

“The remote-controlled device exploded when scores of people, including tourists, were around,” said an officer of the Kalam police station.

The deceased were identified as Swat Paramedical Institute principal Dr Samiullah, local hotel manager Ali Mohammad Umerzai of Charsadda, Rafiullah Khan and tourist Mohammad Shehzad of Faisalabad.

The injured include Swat district nazim’s personal-secretary Ali Bahadur and tourists.