KASUR: A man who was injured along with at least 20 people in a clash between two groups at Harihar village on Sunday died at a Lahore hospital on Tuesday.

The clash had started weeks back in the jurisdiction of the Saddar Police Station over fixing of a flex, expressing gratitude to two local PML-N politicians for the construction of a village road.

Two groups, led by Akram and Tariq alias Daman Masih, both landlords with huge tracts of land in the village, were involved in the dispute. Both the groups are supporters of the PML-N.

Sources say the actual cause of the clash was that both groups wanted to fix flexes first to please the politicians.

According to police, more than two weeks back, on Aug 30, Haseeb, the son of Akram, and his friends were fixing a flex on the wall of the house of one Rasheed Masih which led to an exchange of harsh words between Haseeb and Rasheed. However, they reconciled after the intervention of the village elders.

On Saturday (Sept 16), Rasheed Masih, Tariq Masih and others allegedly intercepted Haseeb and tortured him. On Sunday, according to the FIR, registered on the complaint of village UC Councillor Yaseen, a brother of Akram, he along with his nephew Jamil was on his way to Kasur when Rasheed Masih, Tariq and 55 unidentified members of their group tortured him and his nephew.

Meanwhile, members of Akram group arrived there and the village roundabout turned into a battlefield as both groups attacked each other with guns, clubs and axes. As a result, at least 20 people of both the groups suffered injuries.

A heavy contingent of police reached the village and the injured were shifted to the DHQ Hospital. Ten people from each group were reportedly injured and the same number of people were arrested by police.

One of the injured, Javaid, was referred to the Lahore General Hospital in a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police also lodged a cross FIR on the complaint of Tariq Masih, stating that 11 people, nominated in the application, attacked him and his brother. Tariq said Haseeb had gone to the roof of his house to commit robbery and not to fix the flex.

Police beefed up the security in the village to avoid any untoward situation.

District Police Officer Tariq Aziz claims the situation is under control.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2023