FAISALABAD, May 30: Eight people of a nomad family, including five women and two boys, were gunned down and two others sustained injuries when some armed men attacked their huts in Green Town and Shadman Town here on Wednesday in the limits of Millat Town police.

SSP (operations) Saeed Ali Dogar told Dawn the armed men first attacked a hut in Shadman Town where they gunned down Arshad of Chak 84-JB. Then they headed towards Green Town where they opened fire on the family of Sharif who were asleep. Resultantly, Sharif’s two daughters Ramzana Bibi and Farzana, his wife Sharifan Bibi, Fatima Bibi, Hajiran Bibi and two boys Ali Ahmed and Jameel, aged between seven and 11, were killed.

Ayesha and Shazia were brought to Allied Hospital where their condition was said to be stable.

Dogar said Millat Town police had registered two cases with no arrest.

Speaking about the motive behind the killings, he said a couple of weeks ago one Saboor was killed by Yasir and a few of his accomplices over the drainage of house water that had been flowing to the huts of Saboor’s family. “This incident seems to be an outcome of the earlier murder.”

A number of relatives of the deceased gathered outside the hospital and protested against the incident. They demanded immediate arrest of the killers and action against the policemen who failed to protect the family. Police rushed to the spot and collected evidence.

Talking to Dawn, some of the relatives of the deceased said the assailants were wearing police uniform and assisted by the local police.

However, the SSP (operations) denied the charges and said initially the name of a policeman had been pointed out becauseof some misunderstanding. Later, the situation was cleared and the applicant did not nominate any policeman in the FIRs.

This is the second incident of old enmity within a span of three weeks.

Earlier, five people were killed on May 9 in Chak 170-GB, Samundri, over an enmity. However, the police said it was a robbery incident in which three people of Azam Chishti’s family and two robbers were gunned down.

Zulekhan, widow of Saboor, alleged nobody was aware of their house in Shadman except investigation officer Riaz. She said two days ago Riaz had summoned them and asked to assemble at the house for their statements before the DSP who would visit them. She said neither the DSP nor Riaz himself turned up at the given time.