Family feud: Three, including female teacher, gunned down

Police say the years-long dispute earlier claimed four lives.

MANSEHRA:

Three people, including a female teacher, were gunned down in the remote village of Khawari, around 32 kilometres from Mansehra, on Saturday morning.

Police said the killings were the result of a family feud between Master Farooq and Muhammad Akram, who reside in the same village. According to police, the dispute had claimed four lives earlier.

Police officials said Master Farooq and his younger brother Master Zulfiqar were en route to Mansehra to serve at government schools when their rivals intercepted the pick-up they were travelling in and opened indiscriminate fire, killing the brothers on the spot.



When Farooq’s family heard the news, they in turn reportedly attacked the house of the assailants and gunned down Shazia Bibi, 35, wife of Muhammad Sajid.

After the killings, a firefight ensued between the two families, but no casualties were reported. A heavy contingent of police officials later surrounded the village, forcing both parties to flee.

According to a police official and locals of the area, two sons of the deceased Master Farooq were allegedly shot dead by his rivals last year, while two other persons also lost their lives in the feud which erupted between the families a few years ago.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2013.