PESHAWAR, May 6: Militants shot dead two police constables guarding a bank in Matta bazaar in the district of Swat on Tuesday. Immediately after the incident, a curfew was imposed and a search operation was launched in the area.

Local administration officials told Dawn that the militants opened fire outside the local Habib Bank, killing the two policemen, Aziz Ahmed Gujjar from Gabrial area of Kalam and Sardar from Fatehpur.

Paramilitary troops cordoned off the area and fired in the air. Shop keepers closed their shops and fled in panic.

About 25 suspected militant were rounded up in Kabal and Matta tehsils during the search operation, which was continuing till 9pm.

Sources said the administration had sent reinforcements and the troops were pounding suspected positions of militants.

Matta is a stronghold of the TNSM and is under the control of militants loyal to Maulana Fazlullah, son-in-law of Sufi Mohammad. Nearby areas of Kalakot, Namal, Bershore are also under their control.

Sporadic incidents of violence have been taking place in the area for the past 29 days, despite the government’s claim that it was dealing with the problem of militancy through dialogue and development.

The NWFP government had freed Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the chief of TNSM, after an agreement under which he promised to renounce violence.