QUETTA, July 18: Almost half of Balochistan plunged into darkness on Wednesday after a technical fault disrupted the power supply in the evening, officials said.A Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) official said the technical fault occurred in the main Guddu power plant at around 6pm.

“Fifteen out of 30 districts of Balochistan plunged into darkness,” he said, adding the company was trying to provide electricity to affected areas from alternative arrangement.

Electricity supply to parts of the provincial capital was restored late in the night.

There were reports said that some unidentified people had blown up seven power pylons of the main transmission line in Kolpur area, some 60km from here.However, the Qesco official did not confirm the report and said power supply got suspended because of the technical fault in Guddu plant.

He identified the affected districts as Quetta, Pishin, Noshki, Chagai, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Sibi, Bolan, Kharan, Washik, Qila Abdullah, Zhob, Qila Saifullah and Ziarat.

Three killed: At least three people, two brothers among them, were killed in a road accident in Turbat on Wednesday.

According to police, a vehicle overturned in Dashtyar area of Turbat when the driver lost control over it.

The brothers were identified as Faisal and Majid, while the identity of the third passenger could not be ascertained.

In Quetta, one group of the Kasi tribe opened fire on the other after exchanging hot words in a wedding ceremony in Hali road area. Three people were injured. The injured taken to hospital were identified as Abbas Kasi, Aimal Kasi and Asfandyar Kasi.

A dacoit was killed and another injured in an encounter with police in Panjgur town. Police sources said the armed dacoits were looting shopkeepers in Sunehri market, but when police reached there they opened fire on them.

Police took position and returned fire, killing one dacoit and injuring the other who was arrested and admitted to hospital. Police recovered one hand-grenade, a Kalashnikov and a TT pistol from their possession.