MARDAN: Unknown motorcyclists gunned down a constable when he was going home in Takhtbai area here on Tuesday.

Police said the victim, identified as Usman Khan, was going home after performing duty at Mayar police post when he was attacked by two motorcyclists.

The incident occurred in the limits of Saro Shah police station. The attackers escaped the area after the incident.

The Counter-Terrorism Department, Mardan, registered FIR against unknown assailants and started investigation.

Police said that the killing of the constable apparently seemed an act of targeted killing as the victim or any other member of his family had no enmity with anyone.

It is also worth mentioning that the personnel of law enforcement agencies and police officials had carried out a weeklong joint search and strike operation in various parts of Mardan and Swabi districts about two months ago and had declared the areas cleared of militants. But despite that militancy-related incidents have been occurring in parts of Mardan district.

Last month, a suicide attack inside the office of excise and taxation department killed a police guard.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2016