LANDI KOTAL, July 14: Militants blew up four government schools in Bara while a young man was killed in a clash between two groups of students in Landi Kotal area of Khyber Agency on Thursday.

Officials said that a group of armed men planted huge quantity of explosives at the buildings of three government primary schools and one middle school in Yar Jan Kallay, Ghulam Sher Kallay, Zarmar Jan Kallay and Ghundai localities of Akkhakhel area in Bara between the night of Wednesday and Thursday. “Four huge explosions at around midnight destroyed the buildings of the targeted schools,” they said. Militants also kidnapped the watchman of one the destroyed schools, they added.

Sarwar Shah, a local, told Dawn that the explosions were so powerful that windowpanes of houses situated about five kilometres away were smashed. The residents ran out of their houses at midnight, he added.

Officials said that they registered case against unidentified saboteurs and started investigations. Militants have so far destroyed 48 schools in Khyber Agency but political administration has been unable to apprehend any of the culprits involved in these crimes.

Meanwhile, a third year student, Sabruddin, was killed when two groups of students traded fire at Government Degree College Landi Kotal on Thursday.

Sources said that the two groups exchanged hot words over the issue of befooling the newcomers. The brawl led to exchange of fire between the groups, leaving one of the students dead, they added.

The deceased, a resident of Perokhel, was studying in an educational institution in Peshawar but he had come to college with his younger brother for get admission for him.

The college is presently closed for summer vacations but its offices are open due to admissions in first year.

Local elders criticised political administration for its failure to ban firearms on the premises of the college and demanded take strict action against the accused students.

In Salobar area of Bara, members of a banned militant group shot dead a young man identified as Mohammad Ishaq on charges of theft and stealing.

In Torkham, militants targeted the office of Nato fuel supplier with a car bomb. Officials said that the explosion outside the office of Al-Haj group caused injuries to three passers-by and partial damage to four vehicles parked near the site of explosion.

No body has so far claimed responsibility for the blast but sources said that Al-Haaj group had been receiving threats from militants since long for supplying fuel to Nato forces in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the political administration in Landi Kotal has issued notices to all private medical laboratories and X-Ray machine owners operating outside the agency headquarters hospital to acquire legal registration within three days. The administration closed down at least 13 laboratories and three X-Ray machines on Wednesday for working without licences. But the same were reopened on Thursday with orders to get licences.

Officials said that the action was necessitated after complaints by locals about unlawful functioning of those laboratories.