Marriage dispute: Armed clash leaves 10 dead, 5 injured in Havelian

Dispute between Yusuf Shah group and Mushtaq Shah group escalated into armed attack on Wednesday.

ABBOTABAD: As many as ten people, including four women, died of bullet wounds, and five others suffered injuries when a marriage dispute escalated into an armed conflict in village near Havelian on Wednesday, police officials said.

Officials said that a dispute between Mushtaq Shah and Yusuf Shah group in village Chamak Maira over a marriage proposal of girl had bred enmity between them. This had escalated after they supported opposing candidates during a recent election in the area. It was reported that members affiliated with the groups had scuffled several times recently. However, matters turned deadly on Wednesday evening when the wedding procession of man associated with Yusuf Shah group was fired upon by armed men near the house of Mushtaq Shah.

Armed men fired at the wedding procession from roof tops, killing at least eight people on the spot.

Armed men associated with Yusuf Shah's group fired, killing two of their assailants and injuring five people.

DSP Havelian Arif Javed confirmed the incident and added that four of the dead included women.

The names of the dead could not be confirmed as officials were still transporting them to the Ayub Teaching Hospital and had not been identified till the filing of this report.