SUKKUR: An armed clash between two rival groups in the kutcha area of Ghotki district left six people wounded late on Saturday evening, officials at the Andal Sundrani police station said on Sunday.

Initial reports from the area suggested that the clash was triggered by an incident in which a shepherd, Jendo Bhangwar, was shot alleged by some members of the Sundrani community two days back over the ownership of a buffalo.

The police said that the victim was on his way to Kandhkot when armed men attacked him. Soon after the incident, two other shepherds were allegedly kidnapped, they said.

While the area was already gripped in fear and tension over the two incidents, armed men belonging to the Sundrani and Bhangwar communities traded fire on Saturday evening heightening tension in the entire kutcha area of Ghotki.

The armed clash left six people, including Hyder Bhangwar, Khaliq Bhangwar, Kako Sundrani and Gulsher Sundrani, wounded. Two other victims were yet to be identified.

The police said they picked up five members of the Bhangwar community and seized their weapons.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017