QUETTA: A policeman was martyred and two Levies personnel were injured when militants attacked police and Levies stations in Sherani district late Tuesday night, while in a separate incident, over Rs220 million was looted from two cash vans in Kech, highlighting worsening security in Balochistan.
According to Levies officials, more than 15 armed men stormed Mir Ali Khel, the Sherani district headquarters bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Using light and heavy weapons, they targeted the Levies station and a nearby police station.
Deputy Commissioner Sherani Hazrat Wali Kakar said personnel retaliated with gunfire, but Constable Altaf, posted on the police station rooftop, was martyred. Levies sepoys Kalu Khan and Wahid Khan sustained injuries.
The assailants set fire to the Levies station and a parked vehicle before fleeing after a half-hour exchange of fire. Levies sepoy Azam Khan went missing during the assault and is feared abducted. Security reinforcements, including the Anti-Terrorism Force, rushed from Zhob, while a search operation is under way. Authorities suspect the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s involvement, though no group has claimed responsibility.
Separately, Kech district witnessed one of the province’s largest robberies when 15–20 armed men looted Rs220.5m from two bulletproof cash vans of a private security firm.
Read More: Robbers flee with Rs220m after ambush on cash van in Kech
The convoy, carrying cash collected from Meezan Bank and Bank Alfalah branches in Turbat, was ambushed on the M-8 highway near Dasht Khadan Cross, about 60 kilometres from Turbat.
The robbers, armed with sophisticated weapons, overpowered eight security guards, seizing six of their guns along with more than 20 bags of cash. Witnesses said the attackers, travelling in four vehicles and motorcycles, spoke in Balochi.
Deputy Commissioner Kech, Major (retd) Bashir Ahmed Badich, confirmed the incident. Security officials fear militant groups may be behind such robberies to raise funds, though no organisation has claimed responsibility.
