MARDAN: Two persons were killed and six others critically injured in fire exchange between two rival groups here in Pirgari area of Katlang tehsil, police and local people said on Friday.

Officials of Jabbar police station said that the firing exchange took place between residents of the same area over a dispute on collection of funds for a local welfare organisation.

They said that as a result of firing Shad Ali died on the spot and his relatives Umar Khalid and Zulqadar received critical injuries.

In retaliatory firing from the other side, Zawar died on the spot and Mohammad Hussain and his son Nazeer received serious wounds.

The police officials said that two passers-by identified as Nasir and Zairullah were also injured in the exchange of firing.

The relevant officials registered cross FIRs against members of both the rival groups and started investigations into the case.

Meanwhile, police officials here on Friday claimed to have arrested a religious seminary’s teacher-cum-driver for allegedly raping two minor girl students of the institute.

They said the preliminary investigations revealed the victim girls aged 9 and 12 themselves came to the police station to register an FIR against the accused identified as Kamran.

Officials of Sheikh Maltoon police station quoted the girl students as telling them that the suspect had assaulted them several times.

The officials said that they had arrested the suspect 11 days ago as the incident had taken place on January 4 and he was now in Mardan jail.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2021