KARACHI - At least two cops were injured in a grenade attack on police van at Mawach Goth within the jurisdiction of Maripur police station on Saturday. Police said that police team headed by SHO Naseer Tanoli conducted targeted operation in Mawach Goth when unknown attackers threw a hand grenade at the residence of police constable Razzaq. The house was partially damaged but nobody was hurt in the incident. Resultantly, Maripur Police along with the police of different police stations of District West cordoned off the Mawach Goth and started door-to-door search operation. Police also sealed all entry and exit points before starting search operation when another grenade attack left two policemen including Ayaz Ali and Hameed injured. They were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi for medical treatment.  More police contingent has been called for the arrest of culprits. Police claimed to have detained at least nine suspects during targeted operation and recovered three hand grenades, four pistols, a Kalashnikov and drugs. Police said that two arrested suspects Kashif and Imran were involved in attacking the police mobile and a house of a policeman.
These suspects were originally drug peddlers and belonged to Lyari gangsters.
Meanwhile, a major explosion occurred at medical and general store which was owned by a local leader of the Awami National Party. The store was situated in Metroville area of SITE area.  Police said that the bomb was planted outside the store with a pillar. No one was killed or hurt in the blast but at least three shops, windows of nearby buildings, vehicles, more than half dozen pushcarts were damaged while the blast also caused partial damage to the adjacent buildings.
Rangers and police reached the site and cordoned off the area while the residents were also evacuated to avoid any untoward incident. The bomb disposal squad also arrived and collected the evidence from the blast site.
The BDS officials said that the bomb was a remote-controlled device and carrying explosive around two-and-a-half kilograms.
The medical store belonged to ANP PS-93 president Zakir Hanif. His medical store was earlier came under a hand grenade attack about 20 days ago while his father Hanif Khan advocate was also shot dead in the targeted attack last year in the same area.
Police officials said that extortionists demanded Rs2 million as extortion by making a phone call about two months ago and warned of dire consequences and later they attacked his store when he declined to fulfill their demands.
A similar bomb was defused by the BDS few days ago which was planted with the pillar of the house of ANP man in Orangi Town. Police said that FIR No 7/13 under Section ¾ of Explosive Act was registered against unidentified persons and initiated further investigation.