HARIPUR: A minor boy was killed and a woman was injured critically when a man resorted to firing in the air during a marriage ceremony, police said here on Saturday.

Sera-i-Saleh police station officials said a relative of the bridegroom resorted to festive firing at the marriage ceremony in Ratabana village, but some bullets hit Mahaz Ali, 9, which caused his death. Qureshan Bibi, 52, suffered critical injuries.

The injured was taken to the trauma centre.

The police have arrested the accused identified as Abdul Waheed and registered a criminal case against him.

LABS BEING SET UP: For ensuring provision of pure and unadulterated food items to consumers, two state-of-the-art mobile laboratories will be set up at the divisional level, Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority Shahrukh Ali Khan said.

Talking to industrialists at the Hattar Industrial Estate on Saturday, he said a main laboratory was being set up in Peshawar.

He said the authority’s mission was to ensure consumers got standard food items, and sought cooperation of the business community in that regard.

President Hattar Industrialists Association Malik Ashiq Awan was also present.

Mr Ali said modern labs would help officials analyse food samples effectively. He said the capacity building of the staff of the food safety department was also part of such efforts. He said screening of the people engaged in manufacturing of food items was also being made mandatory.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2021