BAJAUR: Unknown gunmen killed a police official in Inayat Kallay Bazaar here on Wednesday.

Wali Khan, 48, was shopping in the bazaar when he was fired upon, police and traders said. He died on the spot.

DSP Abdul Aziz Khan said a contingent of police rushed to the spot and launched hunt for the attackers, who fled the scene.

No one claimed responsibility for the killing, which occurred a day after a man was stabbed to death in the same bazaar on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Bakht Zada. The police had later claimed to have arrested the killer.

However, another police official said investigation was underway to find out the motive behind the murder of the policeman.

The body of Wali Khan, belonging to Manar Kot locality of Mamond tehsil, was later brought to the District Headquarters Hospital, Khar, for autopsy.

Later, policeman’s funeral prayers were held at the police lines.

Deputy commissioner Mohammad Anwarul Haq and officials of the district administration, security forces and police attended the funeral.

The body was later dispatched to his native area for burial.

Meanwhile, the traders of Inayat Kallay Bazaar have

shown deep concern over the murder incidents, saying the increasing crime rate had caused unrest among them.

They asked the authorities to replace the police personnel deployed at all the bazaars of the district and launch patrolling immediately.

They said that killing of policeman a day after stabbing to death of a man in the Inayat Kallay Bazaar, a commercial hub of the region having more than 6,000 shops, had vitiated the law and order situation, affecting the business activities.

HOUSE GUTTED: A house was partially damaged after it caught fire in Nawagai town here on Wednesday, residents and Rescue 1122 officials said, adding no loss of life was reported in the incident.

They said the fire broke out in the house of Khaista Rahman in Khono locality.

Residents of nearby houses rushed to the site and started efforts to put out the fire, but were unable to control the flame.

Later, firefighters of Rescue 1122 along with personnel of Bajaur Scouts extinguished the blaze, which damaged a portion of the house.

Officials said no loss of life was reported in the accident.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2024