Police van attack: Two personnel killed, Rs2.8 million stolen in Balochistan

A passerby was also killed while six others were injured. A case has been registered, an investigation is underway.

QUETTA: At least three people, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and constable, were killed while six others including a police inspector sustained injures in an attack on a police van in Balochistan’s Awaran district on Wednesday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, District Police Officer (DPO) Noor Ahmed Rind said that a Balochistan Constabulary van was transporting personnel salaries, worth Rs2.8 million, from Uthal to Awaran when unknown armed men opened indiscriminate firing on the van.

The firing claimed the lives of two police men and a passerby while injuring six others, including police personnel. The attackers also made away with the money in the van.

According to sources, the attackers were hidden in the mountains and rushed back to their hiding place after the attack.

Security personnel and police rushed to the spot soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. The deceased were shifted to a hospital in Awaran for autopsy while the injured were taken to Uthal for treatment.

The deceased were identified as ASI Abdullah, Balochistan Constabulary constable Israr and a passerby, Riaz Ahmed.

The injured were identified as inspector Mohammad Hameed, cashier Mohammad Tahir, driver Zafar Ali, Ghous Bhaksh, Ijaz, Hatim Ali and Mohamamd Ameen.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack till the report was filed.

A case has been registered against unknown persons and an investigation was underway.

Correction: An earlier version of the story incorrectly mentioned Awaran as a district of Quetta. The error has been rectified.