0
FAISALABAD, Jan 31: Two persons, including a prayer leader, were shot dead by as many brothers over a dispute involving the possession of a mosque in Bhaiwala, 11km away from here, on Friday.
Reports said villagers had constructed a mosque some three years ago by collecting donations. The patron of the mosque, Haji Noor Mohammad, died after one year of the completion of the mosque. After his death, his sons Ataur Rahman and Ibrahim were given the charge of the mosque, but they left the job after some time.
Later, on the request of the area people, the administration of the local Jamia Salfia took control of the mosque and deputed Abdul Rahman, 25, as its prayer leader.
Afterwards, the previous management of the mosque demanded its possession and started collecting donations. Prayer leader Abdul Rahman reprimanded them for doing so.
On Friday, Abdul Rahman was delivering sermon in the mosque when Ataur Rahman and Ibrahim opened fire on him. The prayer leader and a youth, Mohammad Saeed, died on the spot, and two others — Abdul Hameed and Imran — sustained serious injuries. The injured were removed to the local Allied Hospital where the condition of Abdul Hameed was stated to be critical.
Following the incident, a police contingent was deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.
SHOOTOUT: An alleged robber was killed in a shootout with police on the Faisalabad-Jhang Road here on Friday.
Two masked robbers intercepted a powerloom factory owner, Nazir Husain, and his son, Amir, on the Faisalabad-Jhang Road and snatched Rs20,000 in cash from them.
Some area people who were witnessing the incident informed the Rescue-15 and raised an alarm. The bandits apprehending their arrest snatched a motorcycle from a passerby, Anwar Ali, and fled. In the meantime, police teams rushed to the spot and encircled the outlaws near the airport.
The bandits took shelter in the fields and opened fire which was retaliated. In the crossfire, one of the bandits sustained critical injuries and died on the spot. However, his accomplice managed to escape.
