VEHARI, July 12: A district wildlife officer and his colleague were shot dead by an employee of the department over a salary dispute here on Thursday. Reports said district officer Malik Ramzan along with Rana Tassawar was sitting at the Vehari wildlife park office when ex-game watcher of the park, Rana Khalid Rafiq, came there and demanded his two-month salary.

Malik Ramzan told him that the department had withheld his salary for absence from duty. After an exchange of hot words, Rafiq opened fire killing them on the spot.

Police registered a case against the accused who later on courted arrest.

Two months back, the department had transferred Mr Rafiq from Vehari to Perowal wildlife park owing to negligence from duty.