SWABI: Three tobacco godowns were gutted here on Saturday, causing losses worth millions of rupees to the farmers.

Luqman Khan, a Rescue 1122 official, said a godown owned by Jan Wali Khan caught fire in Jaganat village, reducing to ashes the tobacco stored inside.

He said a godown in Yar Hussain village, where cured Virginia tobacco was stored, was also destroyed by fire.

Owner Mohammad Zahir Shah said the blaze had incurred huge financial losses on him.

Fire also reduced to ashes tobacco in a godown in Jalbai village owned by Khalal Khan.

The rescue officials said the number of fire incidents in tobacco godowns had reached to nine in the district during the last 15 days.

In a separate development, two cousins were killed when they traded fire over a land dispute in Parmuli village on Saturday.

DSP Pasham Gul Khan told reporters that Shah Jehan died on the spot and Shah Khalid was taken to the teshil headquarters hospital in serious condition.

Later, he was referred to Mardan Medical Complex, but succumbed to injuries on the way.

The Parmuli police registered cross FIRs on the complaints of relatives of the deceased.

Meanwhile, two farmers were injured when they traded fire over irrigation water in Jalbai village.

SHO Tordher police station said Altaf Khan said injured Mohammad Ishfaq and Mohammad Tufail had been taken to Bacha Khan Hospital Complex.

The police registered cross FIRs on the complaints of the injured.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2021