Three placer gold miners shot dead by unidentified attackers in Kohat

KOHAT: Three young placer gold miners were fatally shot by unidentified assailants in the Rehmanabad area of Kohat on Tuesday, according to police officials.

The victims have been identified as Tahir, Asim, and Fahad. All three hailed from the Sodal and Mahmandi areas. Police stated that the incident occurred while the miners were working in the region. Following the attack, the bodies were transported for postmortem examination.

The Shakardarra police have registered a case of triple murder against unknown individuals. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but no arrests have been reported so far.

The incident has sparked concern among local social and political circles, who have raised questions about the ongoing placer gold mining activities in the area. There is an official ban on placer gold mining under Section 144 imposed by the government. Despite this prohibition and regular police patrols from Khushalgarh to Shakardarra, illegal mining reportedly continues.

Community members have expressed apprehension regarding the enforcement of the ban and have called for greater accountability regarding those allegedly facilitating the mining operations. They have also questioned how such activities persist despite the presence of law enforcement in the region.

This latest attack follows previous incidents of violence linked to placer gold mining in the area. Earlier, two guards stationed at a checkpost were killed, and another individual lost his life while mining gold.

The police have assured that investigations are ongoing and efforts are being made to apprehend those responsible for the killings.