Three cops die in Peshawar check-post attack

PESHAWAR: Three policemen, including an officer, were killed when some miscreants fired rockets and mortar shells at the Arbab Tapu check-post in the jurisdiction of Matani Police Station in the wee hours of Wednesday.The platoon commander, Sub-Inspector Nooran Shah, along with Constables Faqir Muhammad and Zardad Khan, was on duty at the Arbab Tapu check-post between Peshawar and Darra Adamkhel when five mortar shells and rockets hit the picket around 3:00 am.The rockets killed all the three policemen and destroyed the small building located on the main Indus Highway, around 25 kilometres from the provincial capital. The policemen retaliated but the attackers managed to flee. The mutilated bodies of the cops were later taken to the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines where their collective funeral prayers were offered.Sub-Inspector Nooran belonged to the Ghazi area of Haripur district and was recruited in the force in 1990. He was an expert in firing heavy weapons and had volunteered to be posted in the most troubled area of the provincial capital. He was transferred to the C Division Urban police station a week back, but he wished to continue working in the volatile area to better utilise his skills of firing heavy weapons.Faqir belonged to Jamal Garhi area in Mardan while Zardad was a resident of the nearby Matani village. There are reports that 24 policemen from the Matani police station had been absent from duty since they were posted to the volatile area. The total strength of the police station is 86, out of which several others have been transferred and a few have been left to maintain law and order. A large number of police officials have been killed and several others paralysed while serving in Matani, where posting is considered a punishment.The militants are continuing their attacks on the police although heavy contingents of the Frontier Corps and the Frontier Constabulary have also been deployed in Matani and the surrounding villages. The area has almost become a war zone where the villagers have to take arms and patrol their streets to counter the terrorists’ attacks in the absence of security personnel.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk