SUKKUR: A man allegedly shot dead his cousin during a clash between two groups over irrigation water in Dadpur Jagir village of Jacobabad late Sunday night.

Both groups belonged to the Gulwani Jakhrani community. They were at odds over the right to draw water being supplied to them for their lands on a rotation basis.

Officials at the Mauladad police station said that a heated argument between the suspect, Saifal Jakhrani, and the victim, Ahmed Nawaz Jakhrani, leading their respective side, triggered an armed clash during which the later suffered fatal bullet wounds. The police claimed that the victim fell to the bullets fired by Saifal Jakhrani with his Kalashnikov.

The body was taken to the Jacobabad Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination and later handed over to the heirs.

Daim Jakhrani, a brother of the deceased, told the media that a decision about lodging a case against the suspect would be taken later.

Meanwhile, tail-end growers from Pannu Aqil and Salehpat talukas held a demonstration outside the Sukkur press club on Monday against officials of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) and other relevant departments for allegedly diverting their share of water to influential landowners.

Speaking to the media, Mohammad Bukhsh Chachar, Ghulam Hyder, Ghulam Shabbir Chachar and others told the media that their lands were situated at the tail-end of Bambly and Mubarakpur minors (irrigation channels), which did get adequate water from their main source but the officials concerned “used to sell it away to influential landowners”.

This unlawful practice has rendered hundred of acres of farmlands barren and the affected growers have been suffering heavy losses for long, according to them.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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