Targeted: 7 injured, police check post destroyed in Peshawar blast

Blast destroyed outer wall of the check post and two vehicles, passing nearby during the blast.

PESHAWAR: Seven people were injured when a police check post located on Ring Road in Peshawar was blown up on Sunday in the jurisdiction area of the Chamkani police station. The check post was completely destroyed but all four constables who were manning the post escaped unhurt.

Station House Officer Chamkani Haji Inayatullah told The Express Tribune that a powerful bomb, concealed in a pressure cooker, was planted near the check post close to Afridi Garhi, Ring Road which was denonated via a remote control, destroying the check post and injuring seven civilians.

An official of the Bomb Disposal Squad told the media that around 8kg explosives was used in the attack.

“All those who sustained injuries are passersby, while a pick up carrying cattle was also hit in the blast killing two animals,” he said, adding that four constables were present inside the check post but they were unhurt.

An eyewitness, Mukamal Shah, said that he was in his car near the cattle market when the blast occurred at the check post. “After the blast the entire area was covered with a cloud of dust and smoke, people could not see anything and ran for their lives,” he explained.

Shah added that a pick-up with two animals was also caught in the blast and was severely damaged. He said that a number of passersby were injured and said that he saw them lying on the ground and crying out for help when he gained consciousness.

The injured were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital where the condition of one injured, a 70-year-old man, is said to be serious.

Correction: Earlier reports stated that six police officials were injured, however, policemen deployed at the check post remained unhurt in the attack.