Armed clash claims three lives

Half a dozen sustain injuries as members of sparring groups exchange fire

RAWALPINDI:

As many as five people were killed and half a dozen injured in different incidents, including an armed clash among the members of two opposing groups over abduction of a girl and a family dispute in the garrison city on Thursday.

According to sources, three people, including a passer-by, were killed and six others injured as a result of firing in two groups over the abduction of a girl and a family dispute in Variaman village within the limits of Rawat police station.

According to the police, a fight broke out between two groups named Tariq and Hasnain at Chak Bailey Road, Variaman village over a family dispute. As a result of heavy firing, seven people from both groups and a passerby were seriously injured.

Subsequently, 50-year-old Tariq Mehmood from one group and 28-year-old Ehtsham Ali from the rival group succumbed to their injuries and passer-by Amir Mehmood, who incidentally came under fire, also died.

As soon as the information was received, rescue and police officials arrived at the spot. Six injured, including Arsalan, Hasnain, Umair, Abdul Hameed, Abdul Rauf and Adnan, were shifted to the hospital after they were given emergency medical treatment.

The police officials said members of the Tariq group had a dispute with Hasnain regarding the alleged abduction of a girl and the parties entered into a fight over this dispute.

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Meanwhile, Rawalpindi CPO Khalid Hamdani took notice of the incident and on his instructions, SSP Operations Hafiz Kamran and Saddar SP Nabil Khokhar also reached the spot and formed teams to arrest the accused.

Saddar SP Nabil Khokhar said the evidence was collected from the crime scene and the incident was being investigated. Acting on the directives, the Rawat police managed to arrest six persons from both groups.

Among the arrested suspects are Umair and Zubair from one group, while those from the other group include Arsalan, Hasnain, Abdul Hameed and Ali Shan. The police officials said raids were being conducted to arrest other people involved in the incident.

Man killed, body found

Meanwhile, unidentified assailants shot dead a man in broad daylight in the Misrial Road area of the Race Course Police Station.

According to the police, Muhammad Ismail was shot and killed by unknown suspects when he was passing in front of a private wedding hall. The police took the body into their custody and shifted it to a hospital. The suspects could not be traced, however, a case was registered against unidentified suspects.

In another incident, the body of an unidentified 28-year-old youth was found in mysterious circumstances on Chakri Road, Liaquat Colony area of Dhamial police station.

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The police took the body into custody and shifted it to the District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem. According to the police, there were no visible marks of violence or injury on the body. The cause of death would be known after the post-mortem. The police, however, registered a preliminary report.

Man gunned down

An employee of a transport company was shot dead and his mobile phone and motorcycle were taken away in the limits of Ratta Amaral police station on Thursday.

According to the police, Tauseef Hussain said he received a call that an unidentified man had shot and killed his brother Sajawal Hussain. Police have registered a case and started an investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2023.