QUETTA: A policeman was killed and three others were critically injured when a remote-controlled bomb exploded on Sariab Road in the Killi Qambrani area on Quetta’s outskirts, DawnNews reported.

“The bomb blast wounded four policemen and one of them died in hospital,” said senior police officer Sikandar Tareen. “It is not immediately clear who targeted the police,” he added.

The police vehicle was on a routine patrol when it was hit by the IED, which was planted in a garbage heap.

The injured police personnel were shifted to Bolan Medical Complex for treatment.

The deceased policeman was identified as Mohammad Hashim who died while he was being shifted to a hospital.

The conditions of the three injured policemen were stated to be critical by doctors. The policemen were identified as Abdul Hakeem, Inayatullah and Mohammad Naseem.

Another police official confirmed the attack and casualties.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Police are frequently attacked in Balochistan. On Tuesday, senior police official Shah Nawaz Khan was assassinated in Quetta in a drive-by shooting claimed by al Qaeda-linked militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ).