KHAIRPUR, July 26: At least four people belonging to Maitlo and Kandhero tribes were killed in attacks by men of the two tribes on each other near Pir Jo Goth on Monday morning.

According to reports reaching here, a group of Maitlo tribesmen detained two brothers, Muhammad Ali and Mubarak, of the Kandhero tribe who were working in a dates garden near the village of Kandheri; and shot them dead near Wariyo Phulpoto.

Apparently in retaliation, about six armed men on three motorcycles surrounded two contractors of a dates orchard near Tando Nazar Ali in taluka Khairpur and killed two Maitlo tribesmen, Abdul Hussain Maitlo and Muhammad Fareed.

The reports said that a reconciliation meeting to resolve the dispute between the two tribes was scheduled for Aug 4 at Dargah Pir Jo Goth and both tribes were to name their representatives on Monday.

Police have handed over the bodies of the tribesmen to their heir after postmortem at the RHC Pir Jo Goth and Khairpur hospital. Rangers have been deployed in the area to avert any further bloodshed.

People of the two tribes have been hostile to each other since a love marriage between Nazeer Maitlo and Zainab Kandhero a few month ago. Speaking to newsmen, district Nazim Nafisa Shah said police were covering up their incompetence by saying that the bloodshed between Jagirani and Solangi and Maitlo-Kandhero tribes was the result of tribal disputes.

She regretted that the police were trying to disown the responsibility of the murders of Solangi, Maitlo and Kandhero tribesmen by saying that these were caused by tribal feuds.