BLA armed men intercepted a prison van near Mangocher on the Quetta-Karachi highway freeing 10 prisoners—including two convicted murderers—and kidnapping five police officers who were guarding the vehicle.
Using a private van to transport the prisoners from Gadani jail to Quetta, the authorities found their transport ambushed when the vehicle approached a roadblock set up by the BLA armed men. The attackers inspected passing vehicles before targeting the prison van, releasing the detainees and taking the five police personnel along with their official weapons. The van driver and vehicle, however, were spared.
According to officials, the prisoners included one individual sentenced to death, another serving life imprisonment for killing his wife, and others facing charges related to drug smuggling. The prisoners were en route to Quetta for a court hearing scheduled for May 5.
Two plain clothes police officers traveling with the group managed to avoid capture.
Security forces have since launched a search operation in the hilly areas surrounding Mangocher to recover the kidnapped police officers.
