LAKKI MARWAT: A Counter-Terrorism Department constable was martyred when unknown motorcyclists opened fire on him in Naurang town of Lakki Marwat here on Saturday.

A police official said that Mohammad Bilal was on duty in the Naurang city when he was sprayed with bullets. He said Bilal received multiple injuries and died instantly, and the attackers escaped.

“After the attack, a party of Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak police station reached the place and found the body of Bilal lying in a pool of blood,” he added.

The official said the police launched a search in the urban area soon after the attack. He said body of the slain cop was shifted to the police lines for funeral prayers after fulfilling medico-legal formalities in a hospital.

District police officer Shahzada Umar Abbas Babar, police and army officials, relatives of the deceased and people from different walks of life attended his funeral prayers.

A police contingent presented him a salute and the district police chief placed a floral wreath on his coffin.

Later, the deceased cop was laid to rest at a graveyard in his native Zafar Mamakhel village near Naurang town with full official honour.

Meanwhile, police on Saturday claimed to have arrested three members of a robbers’ gang for depriving a money changer of foreign currency in Bannu.

On March 7, armed robbers had looted Saudi Riyals and Emirati Dirham from Naimatullah at gunpoint on the Railway Road when he was going home on a motorcycle.

Bannu district police officer Imran Shahid told reporters that a special team headed by SP investigations Zia Hasan was formed to trace the gang. He said with the help of technology and modern investigation techniques the police officials reached the robbers’ gang and arrested its three key members.

He identified the arrested men as Zahid, Saud and Hafeez, and claimed the cops seized Saudi Riyals, two motorcycles, three pistols, bullets and other items from them.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2022