KARACHI, June 23: Four people were shot dead and five others were wounded in Lyari when armed men of a gang attacked their rivals on Wednesday.

Police and witnesses said that many areas of Lyari, including Rexer Lane, Tannery Road, and Chakiwara Road, wore a deserted look as people mostly stayed indoors becuase of the heavy firing.

Police had also disappeared from the troubled area leaving the people at the mercy of criminal groups, the residents said. The trouble began when Mohammad Iqbal alias Babu Dakait, 55, travelling in a rickshaw was attacked in Rexer Lane on Wednesday morning.

The rickshaw driver, Abdul Ghani, was also killed in the attack. Soon after their killings, the gang members of Rehman Dakait allegedly killed Abdul Malik of Babu Dakait's group near Baloch Hall. Later, his house was set ablaze.

Another member of Babu Dakait's group, Sajid was also shot dead near KMC School in Chakiwara. During crossfire between the two groups, five people suffered bullet wounds. They were all taken to hospitals for treatment.

Due to the gang war between the two groups, people in many parts of Lyari closed their shops and markets. The areas wore a deserted look, as the public transport too had disappeared from roads. Tension gripped the entire area and the groups made people of different localities hostage. The police could not control the situation till late night.

According to police, Babu Dakait had developed some differences with Rehman Dakait and reached an agreement with the rival Arshad Pappoo's group a couple of weeks back.

They said that a clash between Babu Dakait and Rehman Dakait groups had left Naeem Iqbal, 25, dead at a wedding ceremony on June 5. Naeem was the son of Rehman Dakait, police added.

Babu Dakait was allegedly involved in many criminal cases. However, he was granted bail in all cases from different courts. Sources said that he had suffered a paralysis attack in the past as a result of which he could hardly move.

ACCIDENTS: A child was wounded and a woman died in road accidents in the city on Wednesday. Police said that Rasool Bukhsh, 10, was hit and injured by a recklessly driven Bilal Coach in Orangi within Mominabad police limits. The coach driver took the injured child to Civil Hospital for treatment.