Korangi blast: Police hold TTP responsible

The commandos were on their way back from Bilawal House

KARACHI: Police investigators claim to have identified the group behind Tuesday night's attack on police commandos in Ibrahim Hyderi.

The attack left the owner of an auto-part shop dead and six others, including a mother and her 10-year-old daughter injured. The police claim that the culprits had used a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED). Police officials believe that a truck of commandos from the Special Protection Group (SPG) was the target. These police commandos were on their way back to base after completing their shift at Bilawal House. They were not hurt in the attack.

According to Malir SSP Rao Anwar, men from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were behind the attack. He said that they had managed to trace them and knew which group of the TTP was responsible. He added that he could not share their identities or anymore details as investigations were being carried out.

Police officials told The Express Tribune that they were trying to find out the engine and chassis number of the motorcycle used in the blast. Sources claimed that some sort of chemical was also used in the bomb which caused a fire to erupt. SSP Anwar, however, denied it.

An FIR No 296/14 under Sections 302, 324/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 3 of the Explosives Act and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act was registered on behalf of Korangi's Bhittaiabad police post's in-charge sub-inspector, Akhtar Ali, against unidentified persons.

Two of the six who were injured were released from Jinnah hospital. Four of them are still admitted at the hospital. "The injured had burns and pellets injuries," said the hospital's deputy executive director, Dr Seemin Jamali. "Those admitted at the hospital are now in a stable condition."

According to the initial report prepared by the bomb disposal squad (BDS), around five kilogrammes of explosives were used in making the bomb.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2014.