SUKKUR, Sept 26: An under aged girl, who had of her own free will married a wireless operator of the Ghotki police station four days ago, was killed in police custody in Ghotki on Friday.

Khadija, 17, daughter of Ghulam Akbar Kaladi, had married a Ghotki police wireless operator, Abbas Kolachi, in a Shikarpur court four days ago, following which, the couple moved to Larkana.

In the meantime, the Kaladi clansmen reached Larkana in search of the girl, but before they could harm the couple, the Larkana police took the couple in custody to save their lives.

Later, the couple was handed over to the Ghotki police as Khadija's cousin, Ghulam Mustafa, had lodged a kidnapping case with them. Abbas was sent to lock-up while Khadija was kept in the quarter of investigation sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad Hakro.

On Friday, Abbas, on insistence of an elder of his clan 'divorced' Khadija in front of Mufti Saeed Ahmed Chishti of Ghotki. About half an hour later, some four armed men stormed the police quarter, shot the girl dead, and fled.

The sub-inspector has lodged a case against Ghulam Nabi, Ghulam Hussain, Abid, Mohammad Hussain, Shabbir Ahmed, Ghulam Mustafa alias Bagan Khan, Shahmir, Ghulam Akbar, Ghulam Murtaza and Ghulamullah Kaladi.

A heavy police contingent raided Ghulam Nabi Kaladi and Bagan Kaladi villages and arrested six of the accused - Ghulam Nabi, Ghulam Hussain, Ghulam Murtaza, Abid, Ghulamullah and Mohammad Hussain - while raids continued for arrest of the others.

Police high-ups, taking notice of the incident, suspended Ghotki TPO Niaz Chandio and SHO Iqbal Shaikh and directed the Ghotki DPO to conduct an inquiry and submit report in a week. With tension mounting in the area, police patrolling was intensified, while the Kaladi and Kolachi clansmen were on high alert to prevent any untoward incident.