According to reports, the blast occurred when an explosive device planted to a bridge was set off.

Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Zahoor Barbar Afridi told Dawn.com that the blast occurred as a police vehicle was passing along a bridge in the Takhtbhai Jalala area of the district.

“A speeding rickshaw on the bridge was also caught in the explosion, killing three people, while seven others, including two policemen, sustained injuries,” Afridi said.

Superintendent of Police Saddar Circle, Khalid Khan, told Dawn.com that unidentified terrorists planted the device near the bridge and detonated it as the police vehicle was passing by.

A large contingent of police reached the spot after the blast and launched an operation.

Pakistan is witnessing a spike in terror activities in recent times.

Terrorism rose particularly after the militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a truce with the government in November 2022 and started targeting security personnel.