Three killed, 10 injured as passenger van falls into ravine in Lower Dir

LOWER DIR: Three people were killed and 10 others were injured after a passenger van plunged into a deep ravine in the Maidan Nambatai area on Monday, according to police and hospital officials.

The victims who died at the scene included a minor girl, a woman and an elderly man. Residents said the deceased were related to one another.

Those injured were taken to Lal Qila Hospital and the District Headquarters Hospital in Timergara for treatment. Hospital sources said one of the injured was in critical condition.

Among the injured were identified as Jibran’s wife Ms Uzra, Iftikhar’s wife, Abu Bakar son of Rahim Shah, Rahim Shah’s wife, Uzma wife of Jameel, Mohammad son of Jameel, and Faiza daughter of Jameel, along with others.

Police said a case had been registered and an investigation into the incident had been launched.

Chakdara robbery claim found to be staged, says DPO

In a separate development, Lower Dir District Police Officer Furqan Bilal said on Monday that a reported robbery in Chakdara had been uncovered as a staged incident and that the complainant himself was found to be involved.

Police said Khushhal Khan, a resident of Taj Colony in Chakdara, had alleged that two masked men snatched Rs7 million from him at gunpoint on the night of April 10 while he was returning home with friends. He had told police that the money was intended for deposit in a bank.

According to the police, an investigation was launched on the instructions of the DPO, using technical evidence and questioning, and it concluded that the complainant had fabricated the account.

While briefing journalists at the Chakdara Press Club, the DPO said the accused had tried to mislead investigators and circulate false information on social media in an attempt to provoke public unrest.