PESHAWAR: At least 18 people were injured when unidentified attackers lobbed a hand grenade at a mosque in the limits of Tehkal police station late on Sunday.

Local people and police officials told Dawn that the incident took place around midnight, when 25 persons were busy in having dinner in the main hall of Baitul Mukaram mosque after attending a sermon in Tehkal Bala area.

They said that unidentified attackers threw a hand grenade inside the mosque and also fired shots in the air.

Mumtaz Ali, a local resident whose elder brother sustained injuries in the attack, told Dawn that the incident took place at around 11:30pm. He said that they rushed to the mosque after hearing a loud bang and saw that injured were lying on the floor.

Mr Ali said that they shifted the injured to the hospital. He said that they also heard shots following the blast. However, he said that they did not see any attacker.

SP Abbas Majeed Marwat told Dawn that it was not an extortion related incident. He said that the mosque belonged to Ahle Hadith sect and their religious gathering was targeted with a hand grenade.

The official said that apparently there were at least seven to eight attackers, riding three to four motorbikes. The assailants managed to escape after the attack, he added.

Mr Marwat said that the attackers also fired shots after lobbing the grenade at the mosque as police recovered spent casing of 30 bore and 9mm from the scene. He said that one of the attackers was taken into custody in injured condition. He said that the attacker was probably injured mistakenly by his accomplices.

The injured were taken to Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Sources said that the attacker, who sustained head injury, was first shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex and later taken to CMH.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.