HARIPUR, Sept 8: At least six passengers were shot dead and five others received injuries, three of them seriously, when some persons opened indiscriminate fire on a Toyota Hiace carrying a marriage party on Sirikot road near Afghan refugees camps on Sunday.

The van (2195-SB), was carrying guests from the marriage of Yusuf Kaleem of Baso Maira village when three or four persons appeared from the bushes and tried to stop the vehicle near Afghan camps of Pandori village at around 9pm.

The assailants opened kalashnikov fire on the vehicle killing five passengers and wounding six, before disappearing in the bushes, a victim said.

The wounded were taken to Haripur district headquarters hospital where one of them succumbed to injuries. Three seriously injured passengers were shifted to Abbottabad Medical Complex.

Some people of the area, who rushed to the hospital, termed it an act of waylaying by dacoits while the police suspected enmity behind the attack.

Those killed were: Sajjad Khan, Bashir Ahmad, Tariq, Waheed Khan, Mohammed Qasim, and Nisar Ahmad.