Clash over love marriage leaves two dead in Punjab

Five others injured as Arain, Panwar groups exchange fire

PAKPATTAN:

A clash erupted between two rival groups in Arifabad village, Pakpattan on Wednesday, over a love marriage, leaving two people dead and five others injured.

Police said members of the Arain and Panwar communities exchanged heavy gunfire during the confrontation.

In the violence, 50-year-old Ghulam Murtaza was shot dead, while four others sustained critical injuries.

A man identified as Munir from the rival group was killed with a sharp-edged weapon during the clash.

Another man from the same group was also injured by gunfire.

District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Chadhar, along with a heavy contingent of police, rushed to the site and cordoned off the area.

DSP Saddar Chaudhry Inamul Haq has formed a special team to track down and arrest those involved.

A case has been registered at Kalyana Police Station on the complaint of Muhammad Asif, son of Ghulam Murtaza.

Nine suspects, including Talib Hussain, Muhammad Munir, Muhammad Nadeem, Tanveer Ahmed, Shabbir and others have been nominated under Sections 459, 302, 324, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

DPO Chadhar confirmed that ten suspects from both groups have already been arrested—three from one faction and seven from the other—while raids are ongoing to apprehend additional culprits.

He added that Elite Force and police personnel have been deployed in the village to prevent further violence.

The four critically injured victims have been shifted to Sahiwal Teaching Hospital for advanced medical treatment.