Cop stops armed man from entering mosque, gets shot 9 times

Constable intercepted a man armed with 9mm pistol as he tried to enter mosque during Taraveeh prayers.

PESHAWAR: A police constable was killed and his official rifle was taken away by unknown assailants near Government College Chowk in Peshawar on Saturday.

The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Faqirabad police station. Police constable Muhammad Tahir was on duty outside Mashjid-e-Kaki Jan at Government College Chowk around 9 o’clock as people inside offered Taraveeh prayers.

During the prayers a man armed with a 9mm pistol and tried to enter the mosque. When the constable intercepted them, he was fired upon, killing him on the spot. The attackers then snatched his rifle and managed to escape along with aides who were waiting for him on a motor bike outside.

Talking to The Express Tribune CCPO Imtiaz Altaf said that it was premature to term the incident one of terrorism but apparently the attacker wanted to enter the mosque but instead fired at the constable when stopped.

An eye witness Asadullah said that the mosque was jammed packed at the time of the incident and he saw a man appearing to be around 30 years trying to enter. He said that the man was armed with a 9mm pistol and wore a shawl around him. “The man tried to enter the mosque but when stopped by the policeman he fired at the constable who received 9 bullets,” he recounted, adding that the constable saved the day by sacrificing his precious life.