GILGIT, Aug 11: Two villagers were shot dead in separate incidents occurring on Thursday and Friday in Sharote village, some 25km west of Gilgit.

According to departmental sources, the second incident appears to be a tit-for-tat reaction to the first.

Police said that 20-year-old Liaqat, son of Ghulam Mohammed, was watering his fields in the village around 7:00pm on Thursday when unknown assailants opened fire on him, killing him instantly.

The following day, a schoolteacher Naib Khan was shot at by unknown assailants, coincidently at a time when he was watering his fields, said the police, adding that Khan was shifted to the DHQ Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police detained Shaheen Khan, Sajjad, Ghulam Murtaza, Nazir, Ali Mohammad and two others. More arrests were expected later at night.

Police said heavy contingents had been dispatched to the village which had grown tense in the wake of the incident.

Later talking to Dawn, a police official said that the situation in the area was under control.