SARGODHA, May 17: Five family members of a labourer were shot dead and 20 others were injured on Monday allegedly by a landlord and his over 100 accomplices in Utra village near Quaidabad on Mianwali-Khushab Road , some 64kms from here.

One of the injured at a Quaidabad hospital told Dawn that the assailants had also kidnapped their seven people. He said that landlord Chiragh Zaildar was going to his outhouse by a jeep along with his friends on Sunday afternoon. He said Muhammad Hakim of the Muslim Sheikh tribe did not give the jeep enough passage to overtake his donkey cart.

At this, Chiragh thrashed Hakim and took him to his outhouse where he was reportedly hanged upside down. Meanwhile, the family members of Hakim, including women, rushed to the outhouse of the landlord and after a scuffle they had Hakim released.

Later, they went to the Gunjial police station and reported that Hakim was kidnapped by Chiragh Zaildar. Fearing retaliation, they also sought protection, but instead the police asked them to seek pardon from the landlord.

However, the area elders intervened and settled the matter between Hakim and the landlord. On Monday morning, the situation became volatile when women of the two families had a verbal brawl.

It was learnt that at about 9.00am over 100 assailants, reportedly led by Chiragh Zaildar, set ablaze the house of Hakim. Later, Chiragh ordered killing of entire family of Hakim so that "no body from the labour class in future could venture to challenge a landlord."

Consequently, Yousaf, his two sons Ehsan and Habib, Ramzan, son of Hayat and his wife Amiran died instantly while 20 other family members sustained serious bullet wounds. The injured - Ismatullah, Nasarullah, Muhammad Hussain, Ansar Hayat, Younus, Aziz, Sikandar, Akhtar, Amanullah, Shamim, Bhag Bhari, Nusrat, Irfan, Hasnain, Khuda Bukhsh, Ansar, Ismael Aziz and Ayub were admitted to Quaidabad Hospital and DHQ Hospital, Jauharabad.

This correspondent visited the area and witnessed the burnt remains of some rooms. The village was in the grip of tension although the assailants had absconded while their kin were not allowing any outsider, including the newsmen.

When contacted by phone, the Gunjial police denied the charges of setting ablaze the house of Hakim by the accused party. They confirmed the deaths of four people despite the fact that the hospital sources had already confirmed five casualties.

The police were also reluctant to disclose any report about the recovery of kidnapped people, including Hakim. Meanwhile, Sargodha Range DIG Fayaz Ahmed Meer disclosed that 30 of the assailants were arrested, including the five main accused, by the Gunjial police.

He told newsmen through a public relation officer that police had also recovered three 7MM rifles, one 222 rifle, two pistols and four guns from the arrested accused. He said the remaining assailants would also be arrested soon. The official further said the DIG had also directed the Khushab DPO to ensure protection of surviving members of the deceased family.