Suicide bombers knock at varsity

PESHAWAR: The entry of two suicide bombers in the University of Peshawar on Friday created panic among students and employees inside the campus.

'As the administration learnt about the entry of an explosive-laden car in the university campus the teachers locked the doors of classrooms and directed students to remain indoor till further instructions from officials concerned,’ students told journalists.

The deputy superintendent of police, campus, Gulfat Hussain, said a rider squad of police signalled a suspicious black car to stop near Post Mall and asked its occupants to come down, but one of them showed a suicide vest and a policeman tried to catch him.

However, he said, they accelerated and police opened fire on the vehicle, but they escaped. He said one of the suspected bombers was clean shaven and aged around 24 years and the other was around 20 years old and had a beard.

Police, he said, had made it sure that the bombers had left the university and there was no threat inside the campus.

Soon after spotting the suicide bombers, the police officer said, the constables informed the university administration of the incident. He said the university administration alerted all the departments about the threat and the departments were closed immediately.

The panicked students, who were on the way home, told journalists that at around 12 noon the teachers all of a sudden locked classrooms and strictly asked them not to come out as suicide bombers had entered the campus.

All the main gates were closed but after the security personnel cleared the campus the students and university employees were allowed to leave the campus.

The students said they had never experienced such a situation and had got really panicked when heard about the suicide bombers’ entry in the campus.

Students in different hostels also closed the doors of their rooms and spent most of the time inside and even avoided to go to the mosque for Friday prayer.

Security was beefed up in educational institutions, including the NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Khyber Medical College, Forest College, Agriculture University, University Public School and different hostels.