KHAIRPUR: Tension gripped Khairpur city soon after the killing of a man in what police described as a ‘sectarian attack’ on Ali Raza Shah Thalla Road on Friday night.

Scores of Shia activists and area people held a protest on the road after the attack that left Deedar Ali, 35, dead.

It was stated that armed men riding a motorcycle shot the victim, who was also riding a two-wheeler, and fled. He was taken to the Khairpur Civil Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

His body was taken to the Panj Gulla Chowk at around 1am by a large number of activists led by retired Major Ali Abbas, Allama Mazhar Naqvi, Imdad Khamisani and other activists of the Shia Rabita Council.

Demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, they held a sit-in and raised slogans against the district administration and police.

Senior police officers visited and persuaded them to ended the protest.

Meanwhile, several towns in Khairpur district remained shut on Saturday in mourning.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2014