A major tragedy was averted in this city in Pakistan's troubled Baluchistan province today when locals shot dead a suspected suicide bomber.
Residents of the Aliabad area of Hazara Town shot dead a suspected suicide bomber when he was going towards the main Imambargah of the town, city police chief Mir Zubair said.
"Police have recovered a suicide vest jacket on the person and the bomb disposal squad have diffused the explosives," he said.
"He also had a grenade with him," he added.
"The suicide bomber was making his way towards the neighbourhood Imambargah when the locals noticed his suspicious behaviour and one of them shot at him," Zubair said.
The bomber was hit in the head and killed on the spot, he said.
According to eyewitnesses, security officials were not near the scene when the alleged bomber tried to enter the area on his cycle.
A local leader of the town Mir Bux said that the elders of the community had decided to form their own vigilance squad after a series of bomb blasts and suicide attacks in the town this year.
"We had to take this measure because of the increased attacks targeting Hazara Shia Muslims," he said.
The bomber's body has been shifted to the Combined Military Hospital.
