QUETTA, Sept 7: A deputy superintendent of police and two alleged militants were killed and another police officer was seriously injured in an armed encounter in the Nasirabad area of Loralai on Thursday.

According to official sources, police on Thursday night received information that a vehicle carrying explosives was coming to Quetta from Loralai. Police intercepted the vehicle near Kuchlak, around 25km off here.

However, the driver escaped and police took the vehicle into custody. During search, two powerful bombs hidden under the back seat were found.

During investigation, police found a clue and a contingent, including Anti-Terrorist Force personnel, headed by DSP Airport circle Khalid Gurkamani, rushed to Loralai and cordoned off a house in Nasirabad village.

DSP Khalid and SHO Kuchlak Amir Mohammad Dashti broke the door and entered the house.

The people in the house opened fire with automatic weapons, killing the DSP on the spot and injuring Inspector Dashti.

The ATF and police returned fire and killed the alleged terrorists, identified as Aurangzeb and Karim Agha.

Mr Dashti was taken to a hospital where his condition was stated to be serious.

Sources said that the ATF and police had recovered huge quantity of illegal arms and ammunition from the house.

“They wanted to make a suicide attack or explode the vehicle through remote control at some important place in Quetta,” police officials investigating the case expressed the opinion.