May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

KARACHI, May 18: At least two men were killed and some eight other wounded when a hand-grenade exploded ‘accidentally’ in a narrow street of Kalakot in Lyari in the early hours of Sunday.

Officials said the affected area was a stronghold of Rehman Dakait, leader of one of the several gangs operating in Lyari. Though the authorities said the investigations were in an early stage, the causes of the grenade blast had almost been established.

“The two persons killed in the incident have been identified as Nomi and Ali,” said Imran Shaukat, the SP of Lyari Town. “We are questioning eight persons wounded in the incident, who are being treated at the Civil Hospital. It seems a case of accident rather than an attack.”

However, sources said the affected area was ruled by the gang of Rehman Dakait and the incident could be part of the ongoing warfare between the rival groups.

“The area has witnessed severe armed clashes between the rival groups, so deliberate attack on one group’s men by another cannot be ruled out,” added a source.

Area police registered a case against unknown persons behind the hand-grenade blast, but no arrest has been made yet.

“An FIR (83/2002) has been registered under Sections 302 and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code,” said an official at Kalakot police station. “There are strong indications that the men killed in the blast actually possessed the explosive, which might have been triggered mistakenly.”