ISLAMABAD, Jan 1: A gun battle between two groups over a marriage dispute in the city's rural area left seven persons injured on Saturday.

Automatic gunfire echoed across Karlot village in Bhara Kahu and police had to call their commandos to dislodge the groups who had perched on nearby hillocks. As many as 27 persons, including the injured, were arrested by the police while many others escaped towards Murree.

The dispute between Sher Asif and Raja Nisar started about a couple of months back and efforts. Police said Nisar settled the marriage of his son in a family at Gora Gali, Murree. This family had also relation with Asif and one of his daughter-in-laws also hailed from the same village of Murree. She frequently visited the family in Gora Gali and asked them to break the marriage, saying Nisar did not belong to Raja clan and had a bad reputation. After this, the family approached Nisar to verify the allegation which provoked him.

On inquiry by Nisar, his son's would-be in-laws disclosed the name of Asif's daughter-in-law who had levelled the allegation. As a result, tension mounted between the two groups.

The elders of the locality tried to settle the issue and convened a meeting Thursday night but to no avail. On Saturday morning, Asif's group intercepted Nisar and opened fire at him which later intensified.

Both the groups climbed the nearby hilltops and used sophisticated weapons, including SMGs, 9mms and 12-bore rifles, against each other.

Superintendent of Police Haroon Joya along with the Barakhu police rushed to the village to maintain law and order. However, they could not dislodge the groups from the hilltops. Later, a heavy contingent of police commandoes was called which forced the groups to vacate the points and surrender.

The police arrested 27 persons and shifted them to the police station. The seven injured - two from Asif group and five from Nisar group - were shifted to hospital for medical assistance. Later, they were discharged from the hospital and also shifted to the police station.