CHARSADDA: Six policemen and a boy were killed and 10 people injured when an explosion took place near a police van carrying security personnel assigned to provide protection to polio vaccination teams in Sar Dheri Bazaar on Wednesday.

According to Charsadda DSP Raza Mohammad, the van was destroyed when an improvised explosive device attached to a bicycle went off at the Dak Khana Chowk early in the morning. Six policemen and a boy working in a workshop were killed and 10 others, including four policemen, were injured.

Bomb Disposal Unit personnel said about 5kg of explosives with ball-bearings and iron pellets had been used in the device which was detonated by remote control.

Police said the van carried 12 policemen who were to be deployed near Syed Public School at the chowk for escorting vaccination teams.

Several other vehicles and shops were also damaged by the blast.

The injured were taken to the Charsadda district headquarters hospital from where two of them were referred to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar because of their serious condition.

Moharar Khwaja Mohammad, constables Gul Shad and Kashif, driver Azam Jan, Akram Gul, Wesal and 12-year-old Adnan were killed. The boy was the only brother of seven sisters.

The funeral prayers for the victims were offered in the Police Lines area and the bodies were sent to their hometowns for burial.

The district chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Maulana Syed Gohar Shah, led the prayer which was attended by leaders of several political parties and police officers.

No prominent government leader attended the funeral, but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shah Farman and other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf went to the hospital to inquire after the health of the injured.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Governor Shaukatullah condemned the blast and the provincial government announced a compensation of Rs3 million for families of the deceased policemen, Rs100,000 for the injured officials, Rs500,000 for the boy’s family and Rs200,000 for the injured civilians.