05 February 2004	Thursday	13 Zilhaj 1424

HARIPUR, Feb 4: Two persons were shot dead and four others, including three women, received bullet injuries when two rival parties opened fire on each other in village Kachi some 22km from here on Monday.

Both parties accused each other for the attack.

According to the FIR lodged with the Khalabat Township police station, one Ali Farman was on his way to offer fateh to his wife on her grave with his relatives, Anwar and Mst Jan Bibi, on Monday morning when they were ambushed by the rival party which allegedly attacked them with sophisticated weapons, killing Ali Farman on the spot.

Anwar and Mst Jan Bibi sustained bullet injuries and were admitted to the Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad, where the former succumbed to his injuries. However, the rival party accused the Ali Farman party of opening fire on them, injuring three persons, including two women. Those injured from the other party were Mst Begum Jan, Mst Malkan Bibi and Qayyum. The reason of the shootout was reported to be a minor dispute between the two families.

The police claimed to have arrested some of the nominated accused by the two sides.

CONTRABAND SEIZED: Meanwhile, the city police have arrested a bootlegger and seized a country liquor. According to the police, they raided the house of one Malik Ibrar, near GT road and recovered 1,053 bottles of local liquor and 1.480kg of charas.

The bootlegger, who had been arraigned in a number of cases of identical nature, was arrested.