SUKKUR, Jan 3: At least 25 families fled to Taj Muhammad Domki, near Kandhkot, from Heera Pur Jakhrani village when it was attacked by 20 Bugti tribesmen on Wednesday night.

The Bugti tribesmen raided the village and fired rocket launchers and lobbed hand grenades as a result of which several houses were damaged. The Jakhranis repulsed the attack. Both exchanged fire which lasted several hours.

Soon a police force from seven police stations of Jacobabad District arrived there. The Bugtis escaped towards Balochistan taking along with them some of the villagers and policemen as hostages.

Police pickets were established at sensitive points as the Bugtis were likely to attack again.

Reliable sources told this correspondent that the majority of the people who left were farmers who cultivated the land of the Jakhrani tribe. The Jakhranis and Bugtis both claimed possessing the land and were at loggerheads since the last two years.

The farmers demanded the government to provide them protection so that they could cultivate the land of the Jakhranis on which they had been working since the last three years.

The Bugti tribesmen had attacked the village several times during the last two years to take over the land. At least ten tribesmen had died during the clashes. —Correspondent