GUJRANWALA, Dec 4: Eight people were injured seriously in an armed clash between two rival groups while police arrested over 25 rioters, including a UC Nazim, in Rakh Kikeranwali village on Ferozewala Road on Saturday.

Some youths of the Mehr group were collecting donations from for the construction of a village mosque. While the Bajwa group chief, Chaudhry Muhammad Sher, opposed the drive accusing them of embezzling the mosque funds.

At this, members of the Mehr group became infuriated and started abusing the rival group. Later, both the groups traded fire. Six men of the Mehr group - Sohail, Rafi, Imtiaz, Zohaib, Nazir and Rashid and two men of the Bajwa group - Zahoor and Anwer sustained bullet injuries. They were rushed to DHQ Hospital where the condition of Rashid, Zahoor and Anwer was stated to be serious. Ferozewala police have registered a case against both the groups and arrested more than 25 people, including UC Nazim Chaudhry Amir Bajwa.