HYDERABAD, Dec 30: Two men were shot dead and another was seriously injured by four assailants here on Monday as the on-going tussle between two groups of transport operators again took a violent turn.

The deceased were identified as Ismail Gaddi, 35, son of Abdul Khan, and Hanif, 45, son of Hameed Pathan.

Their friend, Asif Kaimkhani, suffered serious bullet injuries and was being operated upon at the local Civil Hospital when this report was filed.

The Gulshan-i-Hali police said that the deceased and Kamikhani were present at busy Kallu Chowk when four assailants, riding on two motorcycles, arrived there and sprayed them with bullets.

Ismail and Hanif died on the spot while Kaimkhani suffered serious bullet wounds.

The firing created stampede among the pedestrians.

The relatives of the deceased have accused Hashim, the son of Awami National Party vice-president Aurangzeb Khan, of carrying out the killings.

Additional DPO, Hyderabad, Sharjil Karim Kharal, told journalists that Kaimkhani, in his initial statement on the spot, identified Hashim as one of the attackers.

The incident has created resentment among the members of the Gaddi community, who mostly reside in Gaddi Para. The office of transport company of Aurangzeb is also located in the same locality.

The police have temporarily closed down the offices of the transport company of Aurangzeb at General Bus Stand and Latifabad. Some policemen with an armoured personnel carrier have been deployed at the General Bus Stand and the air conditioned coach terminus of Latifabad-7.