MANSEHRA: Police on Sunday claimed to have arrested a man who allegedly held his wife and children hostage at gunpoint on a busy road and opened fire on cops when they attempted to rescue them.
“We are investigating the motive behind the incident after arresting the accused, who fired at a police party to keep them away from him and his family during the rescue operation,” Gul Nawaz Khan, SHO of Lari Adda Police Station, told reporters.
The accused, identified as Mian Khan, a resident of the Shimlai area in Battagram, had held his wife and children hostage at Pano Interchange for over an hour, disrupting traffic.
Personnel of the Quick Response Unit rushed to the scene in plainclothes to rescue the woman and her children. They tried to calm down the suspect and bring the situation under control, but the accused opened fire at them.
According to the FIR, police personnel escaped unhurt and managed to overpower the accused, snatching his weapon and baton.
The SHO said the suspect, armed with a pistol, had threatened to shoot his family if they moved.
“We are investigating why the suspect took such an extreme step at a public place, disrupting traffic on a busy road.
The gunfire could have claimed the lives of police personnel and others present there,” Khan said. He added that policemen overpowered the suspect to rescue the woman and her children.
Police registered a case against the suspect under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, along with Sections 324, 353, 506, 186, 431, 189, and 342 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
