Swabi: SHO dies in shoot-out

Body of SHO Bangash is taken to his hometown Usterzai Payan in Kohat.

SWABI:

SHO Chauta Lahor police station Zulfiqar Bangash died early Sunday morning after a shoot-out with suspected militants on Jehangira-Swabi Road a night earlier. One of the militants was shot dead in the subsequent retaliation.

Fazal Malik, a police official, told The Express Tribune that SHO Bangash and five other personnel were patrolling the area when officer Sabir Khan signaled a car en route from Swabi to stop for a security check. But the driver of the vehicle sped away after which police chased him. According to Malik, they intercepted the suspects’ vehicle near Manki and when SHO Bangash stepped close to the car, suspected militants shot him in the head. Malik added that in retaliation, police shot dead one of the militants who had stepped out of the car, while the other two managed to escape. Malik said that the injured SHO was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of the morning. His body was taken to his hometown Usterzai Payan in Kohat. The dead gunman was identified as Shad Muhammad, a resident of Aslam Bandha. A hand grenade and an AK-47 were recovered from him and his body was shifted to the DHQ hospital for an autopsy. Bangash’s funeral was attended by a large number of police officials and DPO Swabi Abdul Rasheed Khan. Bangash was the son of DSP Abdul Ali Khan Bangash who lost his life in 1988 in the line of duty. Police have registered a case against unidentified militants. Earlier on January 1, seven aid workers were targeted in the area. The deceased included six women. Following the attack, the residence of another NGO director was attacked.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2013.