LARKANA, May 31: A couple, who had married about eight years ago in a court without the consent of the woman's parents, was killed in the village of Faiz Mohammed Magsi near Qubo Saeed Khan on Monday night.

However, their three little children escaped unhurt.

The woman was identified as Nihalan Siyal, 27, and her spouse as Bahadur Magsi, 28. Ms Nihalan was the resident of Dera Murad Jamali while Bahadur was from the village of Fiaz Mohammed Magsi.

They had entered into wedlock through a court in Garhi Khairo and since then they were living in the village.

About 10 armed men broke into their house and showered bullets on the sleeping couple, killing them. The three children remained unhurt because they were on a separate cot, sources said. Children were identified as Kaleem, 6, Sunyyat, 3, and Aisha, 8 months. Two goats were also killed in the firing.

The couple was buried in the graveyard of the village of Faiz Mohammed Magsi.

Allahwarayo, father of Bahadur, has registered an FIR against 10 persons with Qubo Saeed Khan police station.

The Superintendent of Police (investigation) of Qambar-Shahdadkot, Aijaz Tareen, told this correspondent on Tuesday that since their marriage 10 years ago in a court the couple had been surviving in a tensed atmosphere.

During the last year's floods, Magsis had shifted to Dera Murad Jamali after getting assurance that the Siyals would not retaliate, the SP said.

After a patch up the couple returned and began residing in Faiz Mohammed Magsi, he said. But the truce proved short-lived.