LAHORE, Nov 12: Three people suffered multiple injuries in a sectarian clash over taking out a procession in non-designated area close to Syed Karamat Ali Imambargah in Sanda on Tuesday.

The stone pelting and firing, which took place in police presence and also caused injury to the Sanda SHO, triggered panic among participants in a procession associated with Muharram 7.

Police took around 10 people into custody during a search operation soon after the incident.

Sanda police sources said a large number of participants led by imambargah leaders were leading a procession towards Dhoop Sari Bazaar and were also busy in mourning when some residents of other sect objected to boundary wall and route ‘violation’ by the imambargah administration.

Both sides started quarrelling and traded bricks and stones. Later, some of their members resorted to aerial firing.

The mayhem lasted for around two hours and police kept restricting both sides from attacking each other ‘half-heartedly.’

A police official claimed that policemen escorting the procession initially managed to restrict Sunnis who were in limited numbers, but the situation went out of control on Shia side that was in majority.

He said after three people suffered injuries in firing. Police picked up around 10 people from both sides to bring the situation under control.

The official said the injured were admitted to Mayo Hospital.

Sources said a meeting of both sects was in progress in the presence of senior police officers to sort out the matter.

MUZAFFARGARH: Six people were injured in a sectarian attack at a procession at Khangarh Doma, Alipur tehsil, about 150 kilometres off the city, on Tuesday.

The police said an Azadari procession was marching on its traditional route in the main city bazaar of Khangarh Doma when some armed men opened indiscriminate fire. Six people suffered bullet injuries and two of them -- Imdad Hussain and Syed Yadgar Hussain -- were sent to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital. Ghulam Jaffar, Tariq Hussain, Pir Bakhsh, Yousuf and Hassan Abbas were treated at the rural health centre.

No sooner had the news spread than the Shia Ulema Council leaders came out to protest against the police and the district administration for this security lapse. They alleged that security measures were far from satisfactory.

Allama Mazhar Abbas Alvi alleged that there was no security for the procession. He warned the Punjab government against countrywide protest if it failed to track down the culprits.

DPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera reached the spot and ordered the police to arrest the suspects.

The District Coordinator Muharram Committee alleged that there was no police official on duty. He said he met the DPO and the DCO and told them about the situation but they did not arrange security according to the situation.

DCO Farasat Iqbal said the police teams had been directed to apprehend the culprits.

Kazim Ali Haidri, senior naib president of the SUC, said there was an attack on a procession in Khangarh city on 10th of Muharram last year.