RAHIM YAR KHAN: A sacked employee of a sugar mills committed suicide after killing two officials of the industrial unit at Machhi Goth and critically injuring another when he opened fire during a meeting on Friday.

Police sources said that Aamir Zubairi, who was employed at the power generation unit of the Jamal Din Wali (JDW) Sugar Mills Unit II was recently sacked by the mills administration.

On Friday, he arrived at the mills to pick his luggage and household items to vacate the residence that had been provided to him on the unit’s premises.

The sources said that instead of going to his residence, Zubairi went to an office in the mills where a meeting was going on.

Another man left critically injured in shooting

They said Zubairi suddenly took out a gun he had apparently brought along and opened indiscriminate fire at those present in the office.

As a result, Plant Manager Rashid Naveed and two other senior officers — Ramzan Ahmed and Abdul Quyoom — suffered bullet injuries.

They said Rashid died on the spot, while his two injured colleagues were shifted to Sadiqabad Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, where Ramzan too succumbed to his wounds, while the condition of Quyoom was said to be critical.

Later, Zubairi went to his residence on the mills premises where he allegedly committed suicide by shooting self, the police sources said.

On being informed of the incident, a police team arrived at the spot, inspected the crime scene and gathered evidence.

The police said they were investigating into the double murder and “suicide” from various angles.

JDW Sugar Mills is owned by PPP south Punjab President Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mahmood and estranged PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen.

No mills official took phone calls, when Dawn tried to contact them for their version.

Meanwhile, Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan taking notice of the incident, directed the Bahawalpur regional police officer (RPO) to submit a report.

The IGP also directed Rahim Yar Khan district police officer to conduct an inquiry into the incident to dig out the facts.

He said provision of justice to the families of the slain persons should be ensured on a priority basis.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2022