TIMERGARA: Five persons were killed while one was critically injured when rival groups exchanged fire over a monetary dispute in Gosum area of Munda here on Friday night, residents and police said.

They said four of the killed persons, including Rehmatullah, his son Hameedullah, and two grandsons, Riaz and Ismail, belonged to the same family. Another deceased identified as Tariq belonged to the rival party.

Sources said motive behind the incident was a monetary dispute. The firing erupted after an exchange of harsh words among the rivals.

An injured named Sher Afzal was referred to a major hospital in Peshawar due to his critical condition.

Residents said the family of Sher Afzal had abducted Hameedullah as the latter’s family had failed to return Rs4 million they had reportedly borrowed from the former.

The shooting took place when Hameedullah’s relatives were in talks with the rivals to seek his release.

The Munda police claimed on Saturday to have arrested two accused, including Sher Afzal, and started further investigations.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2019