GILGIT, Aug 26: Life remained paralysed in Gilgit city on Sunday as tension mounted after targeted killing of a police constable and shopkeeper late on Saturday. A blast occurred overnight Sunday on Airport Road, while four police officials were arrested for criminal negligence in duty.

A senior police officer said that ASI Mohammad Hussain and three other policemen were taken into custody after a terrorist killed a foot constable in their presence and they did not respond. Police officials said that the man who attacked their colleague also took away the official gun.

People preferred to remain indoors, as markets, clinics and other institutions in the city remained closed due to fears of violence, while there was no traffic on roads.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Usman Zikria has warned the police officials to mend their ways and perform duty honestly. He was addressing a police darbar after performing funeral of the constable.

Mr Zikria said that coward elements had no place in the police force and claimed that the terrorists would not go unpunished.

However, heirs of the deceased policeman said that police personnel who did not respond to the attack despite having sophisticated guns should also be included in the list of accused.

The police chief assured them of inquiry against the four policemen.

Similar complaints were also expressed by relatives of the slain shopkeeper when the police chief reached his funeral. They said that terrorists killed him near the police station and escaped. The IGP said that he would look into the matter.

Meanwhile, police arrested 14 people in various cases, including Airport Road blast.

Also, the home department allowed transport companies to resume their service between Gilgit and Rawalpindi. The companies opened offices, but not a single man booked a seat. However, trucks loaded with commodities reached Gilgit on Sunday evening.