LAKKI MARWAT, Nov 23: A tragedy was averted when police killed a would-be suicide bomber before he could reach his target here on Friday.

District Police Officer Mohammad Idrees said the assailant who appeared to be in his teens opened fire at a police checkpost near Mohallah Syedaan and ran into an alley.

Police fired back and gave a chase. The boy entered Mohallah Baghbaan where he hurled a grenade at police. But, he was trapped in an alley and his explosives-jacket blew up when he was hit by a bullet, the DPO said.

Police cordoned off the locality and collected evidence from the place where parts of his body were scattered.

The DPO said the boy wanted to attack a Majlis being held at the residence of prominent Shia leader Syed Zahoor Abbas Bukhari.

“Had he reached his target there would have been massive loss of human lives,” he said and added that timely action by police had foiled the attempt and saved precious lives.