Family feud: 14 killed, five injured, three houses burnt

Mostly women and children, killed in shooting and arson attack after the killing of two men of a rival group.

GUJRANWALA: As many as 14 people were killed and five injured in a family feud in Pipliwala village of Gujranwala on Thursday morning.

Twelve of the deceased were killed in assaults at Irshad Goraya, Ijaz Goraya and Azam Goraya’s houses. The attacks were carried out allegedly by Amjad Goraya’s men to avenge the killing of Amjad’s brother Saifullah and his guard, Usman, earlier in the day.

Seven people were killed at Irshad’s house, four at Ijaz’s house and three at Azam’s house.

The injured told The Express Tribune that the attackers broke into their houses and opened indiscriminate fire. The attackers later threw petrol at and set fire to parts of the houses, they added.

The deceased were identified as Farah (Irshad’s wife), Khushi Muhammad and Abdullah (Irshad and Farah’s children); Tanzeela (Ijaz’s wife), Fajr, Hajra and Maria (Tanzeela and Ijaz’s children); and Bushra (Azam’s wife), Mehek, Irshad Bibi, Mafia and Misbah.

Four of the injured were identified as Samar, Asif, Azam and Omar.

The injured were taken first to Gujranwala district headquarters (DHQ) hospital where two were referred to Lahore. Medical Superintendent Zafar Iqbal described the condition of these two as critical. He said the remaining three would be discharged after full recovery in a couple of days.

Police said the attackers had fled by the time Gujranwala city police officer Ahsan Tufail and officials from Saddar police station reached the scene.

Saddar police arrested two men, Gulfam and Nadeem Goraya, from the scene on suspicion. Station house officer told The Tribune that a police team was questioning the suspects.

He said Irshad Goraya, who had been living in South Africa, had arrived in Gujranwala after he was informed about the incident. The SHO said an FIR would be registered as soon as Irshad filed a complaint nominating people he suspected of involvement in the incident. He said police teams were already conducting raids to arrest Amjad Goraya, who has fled Pipliwala.

Earlier, Amjad Goraya’s brother Saifullah Goraya and his guard, Usman, were shot and killed by six unidentified men. Witnesses stated three of the assailants came riding two motorcycles and three posing as pushcart vendors.

They said Saifullah and Usman were standing in front of the main gate of the house when the kilkers opened fire at them with weapons they had hidden under fruit on the pushcarts.

Pipliwala residents said the feud between the two Goraya family groups – led by Amjad Goraya and Javed Goraya – was several years old and a number of people from both sides had been killed. Javed was sent to prison three months ago for allegedly killing a man from the rival group.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2011.