TIMERGARA: A police head constable was martyred while three other personnel were injured when their mobile van was hit by an improvised explosive device in Beyari Lajbok area of Balambat here on Wednesday.

Lower Dir district police officer Arif Shahbaz Wazir told Dawn that a police team of Lajbok post was on way to Timergara when the IED exploded near it at Beyari.

As a result, head constable, Saifullah, a resident of Luqman Banda, was martyred and three constables identified as Suhail Ahmad, 27, Ijazul Haq, 25 and van driver Tariq, 30, were injured.

The blast spread panic in the area. The injured were brought to the district headquarters hospital, Timergara, wherefrom two of the injured, Ijaz and Tariq, were referred to a major hospital in Peshawar due to their critical condition.

A heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area and started search for the accused.

Regional police officer, Malakand division, Mohammad Ijaz Khan along with DPO Arif Shahbaz Wazir visited the emergency of DHQ hospital and inquired about the injured cops. The RPO directed the hospital management to provide the injured constables with quality healthcare. Later, the funeral prayer of the martyred policeman was held at the Timergara police lines.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2019