Two militants blow up selves in Pak raid

BY OUR PAKISTAN CORRESPONDENT

Islamabad

Sept. 26: The police on Friday averted a major terrorist bid in Karachi after an encounter that saw militants blowing themselves up along with a hostage.

"Three suspected militants and a hostage were killed when they blew themselves to avoid arrest in a police encounter in Baldia town," a police official said. He said the suspected bombers were hiding in a house in Baldia town when the police conducted a raid along with a team of intelligence agency.

He said two suspected suicide bombers, belonging to a banned militant organisation Lashka-e-Jhangvi, were crushed to death when a house collapsed in a bomb blast during the encounter.

"They also hurled hand grenades at the police and resorted to heavy firing from automatic weapons," he added.

The police official said the terrorists were probably preparing for some terrorist activity in the metropolis.

The area was cleared before the raid and residents were asked to vacate their houses to avoid casualties of innocent citizens.

Meanwhile, at least six people were killed and several others wounded in a train blast near Bahawalpur district on Friday.

"Two bogies of train derailed following the blast, killing at least six people, including a woman and three children, and inujring several others," the police official at the scene said.

According to the police, explosives were planted under the railway lines which damaged the two bogies.