KHAIRPUR: A man was killed and three others were injured in an attack by armed men in the flashpoint Kolab Jeeal town, 25 kilometres from here, on Sunday.

Kolab Jeeal was on a list of 34 areas declared sensitive by the district administration on Nov 16. The area has a history of violent attacks by followers of rival sects.

Noor Mohammad, 28, Tanvir Hussain, Akhtiar Ali and Saddam were sitting outside an Imambargah when a group of armed men opened fire on them. Noor Mohammad died on the spot and the three others suffered injuries. They were taken to the Khairpur civil hospital. Relatives of the deceased told journalists that about 15 minutes before the attack, a small group of people arrived in their area and wanted to take out a procession through it. When they were stopped and told they could not do so because they did not have the official permission, they had a heated argument and went away, they said.

The aggrieved relatives placed the body on a main road on Monday morning and protested against the attack. Local Shia leader Syed Sarkar Shah who is former taluka nazim of Gambat led the protest.

Later, SSP Irfan Mukhtiar Bhutto arrived in the town along with a number of police officials and persuaded the protesters to end the protest on assurance that their demands would be met.

Syed Sarkar Shah and aggrieved relatives said they were satisfied with the assurance and laid the body to rest in the town’s graveyard.

The SSP said that he arrived in the troubled town on Sunday immediately after the attack and brought the situation under control. Police have also arrested a number of suspects.

The official said the ban on pillion riding would continue to be in force in Khairpur district till the 13th of Muharram.