LARKANA: Naudero on Sunday reported the first local government-related casualty in Sindh when a 52-year-old trader was shot dead purportedly over political differences between two groups of the local Mangi community.

The deceased trader, Bakhshal Mangi, was killed by a group of unknown assailants at Sukkur railway crossing in Naudero. He was rushed to a local hospital but could not survive.

His son, Tufail Mangi, lodged an FIR (40/2022) at the Naudero police station against Zulfikar Mangi -- who has filed his nomination papers for a seat in the district council -- along with Manzoor, Sajid, Nazeer and Abdullah. All the suspects belong to the Mangi community and are residents of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto. Police have picked up four suspects and started an investigation.

Complainant Tufail Mangi told the police and local reporters that Zulfikar Mangi’s nomination was seconded by Khalid Mangi but he withdrew his support to the candidate right on the day of scrutiny which had angered him (Zulfikar) and the nominated suspects. “One of the suspects, Manzoor Mangi, had issued life threats to my father (Bakhshal Mangi),” he alleged.

The complainant believed that his father was killed at the behest of Manzoor Mangi.

On his part, Manzoor Mangi, who was present at the police station to lodge a complaint about an earlier “attack on my house by Bakhshal and five other suspects”, claimed that he himself, Zulfikar and Mashooq, were wounded in the attack.

According to local reporters, the news about murder of Bakhshal at the Sukkur railway crossing came while Manzoor Mangi was still present at the Naudero police station for lodging his compliant.

Manzoor Mangi accused the police of showing reluctance in registering his FIR because his rival side was supported by the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He (Manzoor Mangi) supports the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, the reporters said.

Meanwhile, the body was handed over to the heirs after a post-mortem examination at the Naudero hospital. Police have started an investigation into the alleged attacks.

The incidents have turned situation in the area tense.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2022