KHAIRPUR, Jan 12: Nine farm workers, who were killed by armed marauders near Noorajo Pul in the Gambat area, were laid to rest at their ancestral graveyards in Ahmedpur and village Maitlo on Monday.

A complete shutter down strike was observed in Ahmedpur and Wada Mahesar towns to protest against killing of the innocent villagers.

Mohammad Bachal, Nek Mohammad, Rajab Ali, residents of village Maitlo Aali Wah, Nadeem, Naimatullah, Ghulam Abbas, Zulfiqar, Irfan and Mohammad Essan, residents of Ahmedpur, who were working as farm workers at sugarcane field were killed when they were on their way to the village.

The injured villagers including Sarang, Naseer, Khuda Bux, Ali Khan and Rafique were referred to Chandika Medical College Hospital Larkana and Civil Hospital Khairpur. Reports reaching here said that two of them were referred to Karachi.

The relatives of the injured villagers expressed their dismay over the medical care provided to the injured.

None of the accused has so far been arrested and an atmosphere of fear and extreme grief prevailed in the area.

The Sindh chief minister has directed Sukkur DIG Bashir Ahmed Memon to file a detailed report about the killing of nine farm workers.

The motive behind the incident is said to be a dispute between two groups of farmers over a piece of agricultural land in Norejo area. The labourers had gone for work on the disputed farmland on the instructions of one of the groups.