MUZAFFARABAD: A police team from Sudhnoti district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was attacked by an armed group on Friday, leaving six officials, including a Station House Officer (SHO), seriously injured.

The incident occurred around 3am as the 13-member police team, led by Sub-Inspector Waqar Azeem, SHO of Baloch, was returning from a raid, conducted in Dhamman village to apprehend Ghazi Shahzad, one of the 18 prisoners who had escaped from Poonch district jail on June 30.

According to a press release from an unnamed spokesperson of Sudhnoti police, evidence had emerged that Shahzad was being sheltered by Munir (son of Makhan), Nisar Muhammad, and his sons Saglain, Uzair, and Zain in Dhamman village since September and multiple previous attempts to capture him had remained unfruitful.

On Thursday night, a case was registered at the Baloch police station against those accused of harboring the fugitive.

During the raid in Dhamman village, police took Uzair into custody.

However, when the police personnel were returning, they were ambushed near Udhairi village by a mob of approximately 60 to 70 people.The attackers, armed with axes, batons, and guns, pelted stones, fired shots, and used melee weapons, injuring SHO Azeem and five other officials.

The spokesperson claimed that firing by the mob had also left `civilians Munir, Saglain, and Khurram Shabbir injured.

Following the incident, a large group of residents from Dhamman and nearby areas blocked an inter-district road, protesting police raids and demanding the release of Uzair and others detained on suspicion of aiding the fugitive.

Local officials, including Sudhnoti SP Sajid Imran and the Deputy Commissioner, were negotiating with the protesters to lift the road blockade anddefusethetensesituation at 10pm when this report was filed Correspondent