PARACHINAR, April 11: Three persons were killed and 13 others received injuries in a roadside bomb blast in upper Kurram tribal region on Monday.

The residents of the area said that a pick-up vehicle, carrying passengers from Kanraki to Parachinar, hit a landmine planted by suspected militants along a roadside. As a result the vehicle was destroyed and driver Mohammad Hassan, Noor Wali and a religious scholar Maulana Rahmat Ali were killed on the spot.

Thirteen other passengers were injured in the blast. Two of the injured were stated to be in critical condition. The injured also included a woman and children.

The locals rushed to the site of occurrence and started rescue work. The injured were taken to agency headquarters hospital in Parachinar.

Meanwhile, most of the areas in tehsil Safi plunged into darkness when unidentified persons blew up two power transmission towers in Mohmand tribal region on Monday.

Locals said two electricity towers were blown up by suspected persons in Qayumabad and Bayankhel areas of tehsil Safi on Sunday night. The towers were destroyed completely, disrupting power supply to several areas of Mohmand and Bajaur agencies. They said that power supply to Mamagat grid station was also disconnected.

Meanwhile, jet fighters and helicopter gunships pounded suspected militant hideouts in Baizai and Safi tehsils. The artillery also targeted militant positions in Mattai and Suran Darra. However, no casualty was reported till late night.