Cop martyred, two injured in explosion at Peshawar CTD police station

• CTD special investigation team inspects blast site.
• SSP CTD, forensic teams gather evidence from rubble.
• Blast occurred at police station due to short circuit: police

PESHAWAR: A Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official was martyred and two others were injured when stored explosives detonated at a CTD police station in Peshawar on Sunday.

Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mian Saeed said that the preliminary assessment suggests the blast occurred in the station's armoury due to a short circuit, where old explosive materials had been stored.

“The explosion appears to have been caused by the detonation of old explosives kept in the armoury,” he said.

The CCPO added that the fire spread to other sections of the depot, igniting additional munitions and causing secondary explosions.

“A portion of the building collapsed due to the blast,” he said, confirming the martyrdom of one CTD officer and injuries to two others.

“All detainees were safely evacuated from the lock-up,” the CCPO said, adding that the blast did not appear to be an act of terrorism.

“The clearance operation is underway,” CCPO Saeed confirmed.

Soon after the blast, police cordoned off the area, while Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU), Rescue 1122, and fire brigade teams launched operations to clear the site and extinguish the fire.

“The clearance operation is underway,” CCPO Saeed confirmed.

KP IGP Zulfikar Ahmed has taken notice of the incident and directed the Additional IGP CTD to submit a detailed report within five days, the police spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, a special CTD investigation team visited the site to investigate the incident and collect forensic evidence.

“The special investigation unit, led by SSP CTD, is on-site and has gathered initial evidence,” said police officials.

Teams from the BDU and CTD were also present, assisting in collecting materials from the debris. “We are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to determine the sequence of events,” police said.

Statements from police personnel who were inside the station at the time of the blast are also being recorded.