3 injured after suicide bomber detonates in Nowshera

The police managed to kill the potential suicide bomber after the grenade exploded.

PESHAWAR: Three police officials were injured on Thursday when explosives on a potential suicide bomber went off after the police fired at him.

A potential suicide bomber was gunned down by the police after he managed to explode a hand grenade, injuring five people, including two police officials, at the Watar Checkpost in Nowshera.

DPO Muhammad Hussain said the bomber, who was travelling in a passenger van, was identified as Asjid Alias Jannat Gul. He was escorted off the vehicle but a grenade, which he was holding in his hand, exploded, injuring SHO Alamzeb Khan and other security officials around him.

“The bomber was then shot at and killed by the police,” said Hussain.

The bomb disposal squad was called in after a suicide jacket was also recovered from the vehicle. The GT Road was closed down immediately after the incident.

A senior police official told The Express Tribune that Asjid was a member of the Qari kamran Group and commander of the Kaka Sahab area in Nowshera. “The vehicle was travelling from Rawalpindi to Nowshera,” he said.

Sources said that police and security agencies were tipped off about the bomber by two of his accomplices, who had already been arrested.

A long queue of vehicles was seen at check posts on all entry and exit routes towards the city as the security was put on high alert. Sources also said that one other bomber managed to escape and security had been beefed up to apprehend him.

Nowshera and its surroundings have been consistently attacked by militants. Two suicide attacks previously in the area have been traced back to the militant group of Qari Kamran, who was killed in a security forces operation in Landikotal.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2012.