DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Seventeen persons including seven policemen were injured in a blast near a busy market here on Wednesday.

Sources said that a remote controlled bomb was planted by unidentified persons in front of Yar Market near Bannu bus terminal that went off with a big bang when a police mobile van reached the spot, leaving 17 people injured. The incident occurred in the limits of Cantonment police station.

The police vehicle was destroyed completely in the blast.

Several other vehicles and motorbikes passing through the area were also damaged in the blast. The people, who sustained injuries in the explosion, were taken to district headquarters hospital of Dera Ismail Khan for treatment.

The blast was so severe that created panic and fear among the residents of the adjoining areas. The blast was heard in severallocalities of DeraIsmailKhan. The personnel of police and security forces rushed to the site of occurrence after the explosion and started rescue work. The workers of Rescue 1122 also reached the area took part in the rescue work.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Sher Akbar Khan, District Police Officer Yasir Afridi and former speaker of National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi visited the district headquarters hospital and enquired after health of injured people. The officials of bomb disposal unit (BDU) said that five kilogrammes of explosive was used in the remote controlled bomb. The district administration declared high alert soon after the blast.-Correspondent