Charsadda: Roadside bomb defused

SHABQADAR:

The police foiled a terror bid on Monday morning and defused a four-kilogramme explosive device planted along the main Mohmand-Peshawar Road near a police check post in Sro Kallay area.

Sro Kallay police official Gulshed Khan said they were on routine patrol near Dando Bridge when they were informed of a pressure cooker dumped along the roadside. Upon receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. The bomb disposal squad (BDS) later arrived and defused the explosive device successfully.

Khan said three kilogrammes of explosives were used in the device along with one kilogramme of ball bearings. He added the bomb could have caused damage to life and property due to the presence of commuters and proximity to the police check post.

A search operation was launched following the incident, but no arrests were made till this report was filed, said Khan, adding routine searches are a regular feature due to the area’s sensitivity.

The area had remained a hub for militants until it was cleared out after a military operation in 2008, said the official. He claimed pressure cooker bombs are considered to be one of the most powerful IEDs, as a result of which they have been banned in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2013.