At least two people were killed and five others, including a police officer, a woman, and a child, were injured in an explosion near the Jalala Bridge in the Takht Bhai tehsil of Mardan city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province, on Friday.

According to the Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Zahoor Babar Afridi, the blast occurred immediately after a police vehicle had passed over the bridge, suggesting an attempt to target the law enforcement personnel.

Rescue 1122 sources reported that ambulances and medical teams were promptly dispatched to the scene, and the deceased and injured were transported to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital in Takht Bhai and the Mardan Medical Complex (MMC) for further treatment and identification.

The casualties included two individuals who succumbed to their injuries, while the five others sustained varying degrees of harm. The injured were provided with immediate medical attention at the local healthcare facilities.

Police have initiated an investigation into the incident and are currently collecting evidence from the blast site to determine the nature and source of the explosion.

This incident comes amid a fresh surge in terrorist violence in the K-P province. Just yesterday, a former senator and four men traveling with him were killed in a roadside bomb attack on their vehicle in the Mamund tehsil of Bajaur district.

The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been blamed for the recent spate of attacks in the region, though the group has denied involvement in the Bajaur incident.

The authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to maintain law and order and combat the threat of terrorism in the province. The people of Mardan and the surrounding areas have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.