Cops among 3 hurt in crude bomb blast

Two traffic constables and a community policeman were injured in a crude bomb blast in the capital’s Gulistan area yesterday evening.

The crude bomb went off near Gulistan Cinema Hall around 7:35pm during load-shedding, said Shiblee Noman, additional deputy commissioner (Motijheel division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The injured -- traffic constables Nazrul, 45, and Liton, 42, and community policeman Ashik, 28 -- were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Explosive experts visited the spot to know more about the incident, Noman added.

Injured Ashik said the crude bomb exploded under a tree, nearly 10 minutes after the power cut. Ashik added that he and one of the victims were resting near the tree.

He said there was a sudden blast and he found his back badly injured. 

SM Bazlur Rashid, assistant commissioner of traffic, said either the crude bomb was planted on the spot or it was thrown from a distance.

“We will examine footage captured by CCTV camera installed nearby,” he said.