GILGIT, April 25: A woman was killed and two women and a police official were injured on Tuesday in cross firing between police and people in Astore where a dispute over establishment of district headquarters has been brewing up for almost one year.

Astore district council member Tariq, chairman union council Eidgah Muhammad Ramazan and Astore action committee vice-president Abdul Wahab Lone told Gilgit reporters that 20-year old Farida was killed and two women were injured when police opened fire on protesters.

Fresh protests started on Monday when the district and sessions judge Astore vacated the stay granted by a lower court against bidding for construction of buildings for the newly carved out district.

They said the sessions judge vacated the stay order on April 24 without issuing notice to the plaintiff and defendants and the PWD executive engineer asked the potential contractors to participate in the bidding on April 24 around midnight.