Rival riots: Brick-kiln clans come to blows over water supply

Dozens of people were injured, after two groups of kiln labourers clashed.

IQBALABAD:

Dozens of people were injured, and three children are in critical condition, after two groups of kiln labourers clashed over the use of an exit and water supply in the area.

According to eyewitnesses, kiln labourer Abdul Rehman from the Labhana clan worked at a brick kiln along with his relatives and his rival Khokhar clan Bukht Ali quarrelled over the use of a local exit and water supply. Rehman told police officials that Bukht and his family had tortured his children and harassed his daughters and wife. “His family often stood near the main exit and water tap. They stalked my wife and daughters and blocked our water supply,” he alleged. Rehman said that on Saturday, Bakht and his men accused Rehman’s children of stealing their water and locked the children up in a room. “We were searching for them all day and when we finally found them they were severely injured,” Rehman said.

Three of Rehman’s children Rasheed, Babar and Moeen were critically injured and doctors at the Mianwali Qureshian hospital said that the boys had been hit with bricks.

“Their heads were split open and we had to perform surgery,” Dr Waseem said. Several other members of the Khokhar and Labhana clans came to blows following the incident.

Members of both families including Mir Hasan Bakht, Abdul Hameed and Munir approached the local police to file a case.

“We have filed the case and are investigating the incident,” said station house officer (SHO) Sadiq Baig. “There are conflicting accounts of the incident. The Bakht clan said the children were stealing water from their tank and had thrown bricks at them first,” he said.

“They are trying to blame us for attempted murder even though the children began throwing bricks on my family. Then I retaliated,” Bukht Ali said.

Ali said that he and his family had refrained from starting the attack but only responded when Rehman’s children began to abuse them.

“We are conducting a detailed inquiry into the matter but we will get to the bottom of this soon,” said Baig.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2011.