LARKANA, March 3: The police on Wednesday booked 31 persons, two of whom were arrested, following a dispute between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami Tehrik in Warah on Monday.

Those arrested were identified as Ghulam Mustafa Chandio and Rafiq Leghari. The complainant, local MQM leader Abdul Karim Sodhar, alleged that while returning from a Sabeel camp set up on Ashura, Sartaj Chandio, Ghulam Mustafa Chandio, Altaf Chandio, Qadir Chandio and 10 unidentified persons kidnapped him.

The area SHO claimed that AT leader Sartaj had made the Muttahida leader hostage and the police after receiving the information got him released. Activists of the AT, led by Ghulam Mustafa Chandio and Rafi Leghari, took out a procession on Tuesday to protest against the police behaviour.

The police resorted to baton-charge on the protesters and picked up two persons. They also registered an FIR against 16 unidentified persons on the charge of attempting to disturb peace during Ashura.

Meanwhile, the Nazim of Warah convened a meeting of political parties, except the MQM and the AT, and constituted an 11-member committee to negotiate with the rival groups to control the situation.