LARKANA: A shutterdown was observed in Warah town of Qambar-Shahdadkot district on Thursday after two brothers were gunned down in their house in Hamal Colony in the morning and an employee of the town committee was shot dead two hours later in a separate attack.

The two back-to-back attacks sparked demonstrations and a sit-in by groups of protesters in different areas of the town. Shopkeepers pulled down the shutters and all business, trade and commercial activities came to a grinding halt.

Armed men, believed to be robbers, barged into the house of Anwar Channa in Hamal Colony in Warah town, some 60 kilometres from here, in Qambar-Shahdadkot district in the early hours of Thursday. The inmates sensing something fishy challenged the intruders, who opened fire in panic killing Safeer and his brother Shabir on the spot. The intruders fled the house after committing the crime.

In the other incident, which took place just two hours later, a group of armed men shot dead an employee of the town committee.

They shot Mohammed Nawaz Ganicho from a point blank range, area residents said, adding that the victim was sitting near a primary school when he was attacked. They said he was rushed to the Chandka Medical College Hospital in Larkana but succumbed to his wounds on the way.

Police said the attacked seemed to be the result of an old enmity between the victim and the attackers.

Protesting against the lawlessness, traders and other citizens led by Niaz Jafferi, Punhal Kalhoro and Zahoor Chandio held a sit-in at Fazil Rahu Chowk and raised slogans against the police. They demanded arrest of the criminals and effective measures to ensure safety and security of people in Warah town.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018