SAHIWAL: Jogi Chowk, a main crossing of the city, became a scene of pitched battle among three parties -- students, shoe traders and rickshaw drivers -- who scuffled and resorted to aerial firing to “settle score” on Tuesday.

A city police team took some time to disperse the clashing parties by mounting a baton-charge assault and effecting arrests. At least six students besides shopkeepers and rickshaw drivers were injured.

It all started when Adeel Shahzad and Usman, students of the Government College for Science and Technology, visited a shop to return a pair of shoes they claimed was defective and shopkeeper Mirza Samran’s reluctance led to an exchange of harsh words. The verbal duel took an ugly turn when Samran, along with his helpers Rizwan and Ali, beat the students. Two rickshaw drivers, who were already quarreling outside the shop, supported the students and jumped into the melee.

Helpless in the face of the unexpected situation, the students initially beat a retreat but turned up after some time with their fellow students who damaged the shop windows and furniture and set a motorcycle ablaze.

The students and shopkeepers once again came to blows and clubbed and punched each other resulting in injuries.

A city police team led by Elite Force SP Zunera Noor reached the scene and baton-charged the disputing groups and made arrests. Police said many students were injured in the clash.

SHO Rao Ayub said police arrested several men and sent them behind the bars.

Later, more than 50 students blocked Deepalpur Bazaar, High Street and Pakpattan Bazaar as a protest. Holding clubs and sticks, they scared the customers away. They said police seemed somewhat lenient to the shopkeepers who initiated the brawl.

SP Zunera Noor said the situation was under control and the intersection was cleared for traffic.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2017