Quetta: Almo Chowk blast case registered

QUETTA: An FIR has been lodged with the Zrghoonabad Police Station against unidentified men for perpetrating a bomb blast at the Almo Chowk, Airport Road, in the provincial capital, Geo News reported.

According to police sources, the FIR was registered over the complaint of SHO Zrghoonabad Police Station under the charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and possession of explosives.

Three people, including one personnel of paramilitary force, were killed and 26 others wounded, some of them seriously, in a powerful bomb explosion earlier on Monday.

Confirming the number of deaths, official sources said that unidentified men had parked a Suzuki Alto car loaded with explosives at the Almo Chowk near an FC check-post. The explosive device went off with a big bang at around 5:05 pm, and its thud was heard several kilometers away.

People were busy in purchasing daily commodities at the time, while the FC personnel were performing their duties at the Chowk, said one of the witnesses while talking to The News. All of a sudden, thick black smoke engulfed the spot after the explosion.

Seven vehicles, including two of the FC, were badly damaged due to the powerful explosion. Emergency was declared at all the hospitals in Quetta. Police officials, FC and local administration reached the spot and cordoned off the area as officials of the bomb disposal squad examined the site of the blast. They later said the vehicle was loaded with 40-45 kilograms of high power explosive material.

Three people, including a Lance Naik of the FC, sustained multiple injuries when splinters of the explosive material hit them. They breathed their last on the spot. Twenty-six others were injured in the powerful bomb explosion.

The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital for treatment where condition of some of them was stated to be precarious, hospital sources said. Later, the critically injured were shifted to the CMH. Official sources said that terrorists had attempted to target the FC men.