PESHAWAR: Five persons, including three of a family and two passers-by, were killed when they came under fire near the Academy Town here on Sunday.

The local police claimed to have arrested one of the suspects, identified as Saboor, whereas other attackers escaped the scene.

The alleged attackers and victims were stated to be close relatives and they had a blood feud.

An official at the Pishtakhara police station said several members of a family were travelling in a vehicle when they were attacked by their rivals.

Halima Bibi, whose son, Zulqarnain was also killed in the incident, told the police that she along with her son and some relatives, Israr, Jawadul Haq and Abdur Rehman and a guest from Chitral, Naseer, had gone to attend funeral of one of their relatives.

She said that when they were returning and reached Canal Road their rivals started firing at their vehicle, which resulted in the death of Zulqarnain, Israr and Naseer.

Two passers-by also received bullet wounds and succumbed to their injuries. They were identified as Ijaz and Raj Wali.

The complainant identified the attackers as Islamullah, his son Saboor, Hidayatullah and Noor Ilahi, residents of Sufaid Dehri area.

A police official said the decades-old enmity had so far claimed several lives from both the families. He added father of the deceased, Zulqarnain and his uncle were also killed in the feud.

A police contingent reached the place and started combing the area for apprehending the attackers. They managed to arrest one of them, Saboor. The bodies were later shifted to hospital for autopsy.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024