PESHAWAR, Nov 30: Policemen remained unhurt when their van was hit by a roadside bomb on Inqilab Road in the suburbs of Peshawar on Friday.

An official of Badbher police station said that the police party was on its routine patrol when the blast occurred at about 9am. He said that the police party was the actual target, but it escaped unhurt.

An official of bomb disposal unit said that the improvised explosive device weighing about three kilogramme was packed in a canister and planted at a water pipeline on a roadside which went off as the police van reached the spot. “The van was damaged, but the policemen remained unhurt,” he said.

Following the blast, law-enforcement officials cordoned off the area and started search for arrest of criminals involved in the act. A case has been registered against unidentified terrorists at Badbher police station.

Meanwhile, police claimed to have arrested 60 accused, including 18 proclaimed offenders, during raids in parts of the provincial metropolis on Friday.

According to police spokesman, the raiding parties also recovered 40 pistols, two Kalashnikovs, three rifles and hundreds of cartridges from their possession.