GUJRAT: At least four people including, two brothers and a passer-by rickshaw driver, were killed in a violent clash between two groups over a dispute about an under-construction street at Chak 33 in Gojra police precincts of Mandi Bahauddin district on Wednesday.

A brother of the contractor, whose firm is executing the scheme, has also been critically injured and shifted to Lahore.

Both the parties exchanged fire after an earlier clash in the street a few days ago.

Initial reports said that some young members of Jaafar Sadiq Tarrar and Atif Sultan Tarrar families had an altercation while discussing the level of the under-construction street.

On Wednesday, both the parties again clashed and opened fire at each other. As a result brothers Atif Sultan and Babar Sultan, their rival Jaafar Sadiq and a passer-by Sanaullah Warraich, a rickshaw driver, were killed whereas Babar sustained bullet injuries.

Police reached the spot and shifted the deceased to the Malakwal Tehsil Headquarters hospital for autopsy while the injured was referred to Lahore after being given an initial treatment.

Mandi Bahauddin DPO Anwar Saeed Kingra and other senior police officials reached the spot and inspected the scene.

A team of Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) collected evidence from the scene.

On the complaint of father of slain brothers, police registered case against 11 people.

A spokesman for Mandi Bahauddin police said investigation into the matter had been launched.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2023