MINGORA, Feb 13: Two people were killed and a former MPA of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI), and another person suffered injuries when a bomb exploded in Mangaltan area near Charbagh on Wednesday.

Local people and police said the remote-controlled bomb went off when Mufti Hussain Ahmed and his three associates was returning to Khwazakhela after attending a public meeting in Mangaltan.

District Police Officer Waqip Khan told Dawn that two men, Aslam from Khwazakhela and Afreen from Manglore, were killed, while Mufti Hussain Ahmed and one of his associates sustained injuries.

The injured persons were rushed to the district headquarters hospital in Saidu Sharif where doctors said their condition was stable.

Their car was badly damaged.

Mufti Hussain Ahmed is contesting for the NA-30 and PF-85 (Swat) seats as an independent candidate after having developed differences with the JUI-F.

It may be recalled that the Pakistan Muslim League-Q candidate for PF-82, Mian Gul Asfandyar Amir Zeb, had been killed in an explosion in the same area in Charbagh about a month ago. Nine other people were killed in that incident. ANP candidate Ayub Khan was attacked in Kalakot area by militants.