SUKKUR: At least 13 people, including four policemen, were injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up during Eidul Azha prayers in an imambargah at Shikarpur district’s Khanpur tehsil on Tuesday.
Officials said two suicide bombers tried to enter the Khanpur Imambargah but were intercepted by police. “Four of our men were injured, and one was in critical condition,” Umar Tufail, a senior police officer said.
Tufail said doctors were also trying to save the life of the other suspected bomber, who was injured when the first one blew himself up but failed to detonate himself.
“The attackers came as the worshippers were gathering to offer Eid prayers. Police were able to stop him at the gate outside the mosque,” Sindh IG AD Khawaja said.
Police and rescue officials reached the site of the blast and the injured were shifted to hospitals.
The blast came at a time when the nation was celebrating Eidul Azha to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (AS).
The officials had earlier claimed to have taken stringent security measures to tackle any untoward incident.
Last year, at least 61 people had been killed and 50 others injured in an explosion at a Shikarpur Imambargah during Friday prayers.
Police said the devastating explosion was a suicide attack and the bomber detonated the explosives strapped to his body “in the middle of the mosque.
Meanwhile, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Civil Lines has been assigned the investigation of the Shikarpur blast in which three policemen were injured on first day of Eidul Azha.
According to Shikarpur SSP Umar Tufail, one of the two suicide bombers who stormed an imambargah in Khanpur area of Sikarpur on Tuesday where people had gathered for Eid prayers.
A case has been handed over to CTD Incharge Raja Umar Khitab to probe in this regard.
The accused attacker Usman, who was arrested in injured condition. He got training in Afghanistan and then relocated to Quetta, police said.
However, Khanpur SHO was suspended over flawed in security following the incident.
The Rangers and police conducted operations in different areas of Khanpur and have arrested 25 suspects on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Sindh IG AD Khwaja, who visited the blast site, acknowledged the deed. “Due to timely action of the brave policemen we have been saved from a big tragedy,” he said.
Earlier, the police have registered a case of Shikarpur imambargah suicide blast, while the FIR was lodged at Khanpur Police Station on the complaint of Muhammad Shah Qazi against the suicide bomber, his arrested accomplice Usman and other accused persons.
A case has been registered under Terrorism Act.
The Rangers and police were carrying out raids in search of accomplices of the terrorists.
