Personal enmity: Three family members killed in old dispute

Family believes attack was carried out by a criminal who thought Mehrab was a police informer.

SUKKUR: A young woman and her two daughters were shot dead while four others were injured by armed men on Monday in the Jhando Narejo village near Paki Khohi in district Khairpur.

A group of men broke into Mehrab Narejo's house and opened fire. Mehrab's wife, Mai Sabul, and two daughters, eight-year-old Imamzadi and four-year-old Samina died while four other members of the family were injured. The injured were identified as Behram Narejo's wife Sanam and son Rabnawaz, Mehrab's two-year-old son Yasin and five-year-old Rachan.

The police said that the deceased and injured were taken to Gambat's taluka hospital. A case has yet to be registered.

The head constable of Baharo police station, Allah Warayo Junejo, told The Express Tribune that Mehrab Narejo was not at home when the incident took place.

He claimed that the family had informed him that the attack was carried out by Anwar alias Raju Narejo, a wanted criminal.

Raju believed that Mehrab was a police informer and had told him about his activities in the area. Junejo added that the family was busy with the funeral and the FIR would be lodged when they showed up at the police station.

A source said, however, that something else had instigated the attack. The source claimed that a few days ago, the Gambat police had raided the Pir Muhammad Narejo village and arrested Punhal Narejo and his wife Najma, who is said to be Raju's sister. According to the source, Raju had married Umeedan Shaikh also known as Muskan, more than a year ago but domestic abuse forced Muskan to run away. She ended up staying at the Darul Aman in Larkana after a court order was passed.

Anwar went to Muskan's mother, Zarina Narejo, and asked her to force her daughter to leave the Darul Aman. Upon Zarina's refusal, he shot her dead and kidnapped her minor son, Gada Hussain Narejo. Anwar then went to Zarina's husband, Saleh Narejo - Gada's father and Muskan's stepfather - and told him that his son will be returned to him only if he helps him get his wife.

On June 30, Muskan and two other women who were with her at the womens' shelter went missing. So far, nothing has been done to recover them.

It is believed, said the source that the Gambat police arrested Raju's brother-in-law and sister to pressurise him to release the kidnapped boy, but instead of succumbing to the pressure, Raju killed Mehrab Narejo's family and injured four other the suspicion that Mehrab was a police informer.

SHO Gambat police station Abdul Wahab Massan told The Express Tribune that there was tension between the two men for a while as Raju was sure Mehrab and tipped off the police about him.

He claimed that Raju had warned Mehrab about attacking his house but the latter did not take any precautionary measures. The SHO also denied arresting Raju's brother-in-law and sister.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2014.