MARDAN, April 4: Exchange of hot words between the relative of a patient and a ward orderly claimed the life of latter and left one of his colleagues injured in Mardan Medical Complex here on Monday. The unidentified accused managed to escape after the incident while enraged paramedical staff of the hospital set 24 hours deadline for his arrest.

Eyewitnesses said that the accused, came to hospital along with his ailing relative, asked ward orderly Qaim Shah to give him a chit of the OPD so that he could take his patient to the doctor for check-up. But the orderly told him to wait for his turn which led to exchange of harsh words between them, they added.

They said that both of them started scuffling and the accused pulled out his pistol and shot dead Qaim Shah. A ward sweeper identified as Abdullah, who rushed to help the victim, was also injured by the relative of the patient, they said.

A case was registered against the unidentified accused at Sheikh Maltoon police station on the complaint of the victim’s brother Syed Mustafa Bacha. The enraged paramedic staff and other officials of the hospital took to streets against the killing of their colleague and placed his body on Mardan-Nowshera Road, blocking it to traffic for several hours.

Led by Paramedics Association president Taj Mohammad, the protesters were chanting slogans against policemen deployed at the hospital. They alleged that the killer managed to escape easily owing to negligence of policemen.

They demanded of police high-ups to arrest the killer within 24 hours and take action against the officials, who were performing duty at the hospital when the incident occurred. They also asked police to take measures for protection of government employees.

Meanwhile, a man was killed over a land dispute in Guli Bagh area here on Monday in the limits of Hoti police station.

Sajid, the uncle of the victim, told police that Hamzadu along with his two sons Asad and Bakhtzadu opened firing on his nephew Zubair, when he was working in his field.

He said that the victim died on the spot and the accused managed to escape after committing the crime. The cause of enmity between the two families is said to be a land dispute.