QUETTA: Five people, including three students and two police officers, were injured on Friday in what police described as an accidental rifle discharge in front of the governor of Balochistan`s residence in the town of Zhob.

District Police Officer (DPO) Shoukat Mohmand said the incident occurred outside `Janan House,` the private residence of Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, who had arrived in Zhob on Thursday.

`A police constable was trying to clear his AK-47 rifle as a bullet was stuck up in it, during which fire occurred, resulting in injuring three students and two policemen who were standing outside the private residence of the governor,` Mr Mohmand said.

The injured were immediately taken to the district hospital. Officials said the condition of all five was not life-threatening.Station House Officer Muhammad Ayub Mandokhail corroborated the DPO`s account of the incident, adding that a deputy superintendent of police narrowly escaped being hit as the weapon was pointed toward the ground, which minimised damage.

The injured were identified as Head Constable Habibur Rehman and Constable Rozi Khan, along with students Sadiq Shah, Zulgarnan and Muhammad Ayaz.

Ayazwaslatertransferredtothe Combined Military Hospital in Zhob.

The incident sparked chaos among a crowd of over 100 students from Government Degree College Zhob who were at the residence to meet the governor.

Mr Mandokhail, who was home at the time, later visited the hospital to inquire about the health of the injured students and officers.

Police said the constable responsible for the accidental firing was taken into custody, and an investigation has been launched.