SWAT: Local transport leader Afzal Gujjar was injured while his son, nephew and guard were killed after unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle in the Shakardara area of Matta last night, police said on Monday.
Police told local media that the attackers used heavy weapons during the assault that took place on Sunday night.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, Gujjar sustained injuries and was shifted to a hospital for treatment. His son, Behram Khan, was among the three people who lost their lives in the incident.
Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan told Dawn that heavy police contingents surrounded the area and started a search operation after the attack.
“Three persons were arrested while the search operation is underway,” he said, assuring that police would reach the culprits soon.
Officials said an investigation was underway to determine the motive behind the attack and establish the exact circumstances of the incident.
A spokesperson for Swat Police also confirmed that law enforcement agencies were actively pursuing the assailants and collecting evidence from the scene as part of the ongoing investigation.
On Monday morning, family members and local residents blocked the Matta-Mingora road by placing the bodies of the victims on the tarmac.
They demanded that police and local authorities arrest the culprits, threatening to maintain the blockade until justice was served.
Gujjar, who was injured in one leg, alleged that police and law enforcement agencies failed to act, saying that about 40 gunmen equipped with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers, attacked him and his family.
“When I was in the hospital, police officials were with me in Matta Hospital, and I was constantly receiving phone calls that the attackers continued firing until late night,” he said.
Gujjar said the attackers torched his vehicles before fleeing in the early morning and claimed that despite continuously informing police officials, they did not stop the attackers.
