QUETTA: An official bus carrying police personnel came under attack when a bomb-laden rickshaw exploded in Bhosa Mandi area of the provincial capital‚ on Thursday morning.
Deputy Inspector General Operations‚ Fayyaz Ahmed Sumbal told that unknown men planted explosives in a rickshaw and parked it on Eastern Bypass road in Bhosa Mandi area on outskirts of the metropolis and they detonated it when an official bus carrying police personnel was on its way to Civil Secretariat Balochistan.
“At least 12 people including police personnel and two civilians were martyred and 15 others among them policemen injured in the powerful blast that was heard with big bang while the vehicle was badly damaged in the explosion‚” the DIG Operations said.
He maintained that it was a routine matter that police personnel of Rapid Response Force of Balochistan Police were brought from Police Line Eastern Bypass area to Civil Secretariat located on Zarghoon road Quetta for security duty.
“The assailants detonated the explosives-laden rickshaw with remote control as the bus was passing through the area‚” he added.
He said that soon after receiving the information‚ rescue teams were dispatched to the affected site immediately who have shifted the dead and injured to Combined Military Hospital and Sandeman Civil Hospital.According to doctors‚ condition of three injured is critical.
The Bomb Disposal Squad sources said that about 100 kg explosives were used in the blast. They added that it was an Improvised Explosive Device explosion.
The law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the entire area to trace the suspects.
