KHAIRPUR: Placing five bodies of slain villagers on the National Highway near the village of Korro on Wednesday, members of the Junejo community along with their friends and supporters demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

Chanting slogans against the killers, they told press reporters that the slain and injured villagers were all innocent.

The five villagers were killed and three others injured when more than 10 unidentified armed men opened fire in the villages of Nathoo, Khoohae and Katchaee Junejo in jurisdiction of PS C-section in Khairpur on Wednesday night.

The slain villagers were identified as Mohammad Panjal, 35, Khair Mohammad, 32, Nazir, 30, Ali Gohar, 30 and Zafar, 27 — all Junejo by caste.

However, the injured were identified as Mohammad Rafique, Rasheed and Momin — also Junejo by caste.

The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital of Khairpur from where the five bodies were handed over to relatives on Wednesday night after a post-mortem.

One armed men was also killed when villagers opened fire in reaction. Police said the slain armed man had been identified as Jabbar Lashari from his CNIC.

There remained a mourning atmosphere in the area following this incident.

When Khairpur police and villagers followed foot prints of the armed men, they were leading towards zero-point Katcha embankment near Piryaloi.

Talking to reporters, police claimed that to have exchanged fire with the armed men when they were trying to flee through the Indus River, injuring a couple of outlaws.

Canal develops breach

Sanhrro wah fed from Mirwah canal Bhurgari regulator developed a breach near RD-34.

According to local people, the canal developed a 15-20 feet wide breach early on Wednesday and the breach water submerged crops and orchards in the area.

Talking to local press reporters, they said villagers made efforts on their own to direct the breach water towards a ditch in order to protect crops and orchards from damage.

Linking the breach to inefficiency of the irrigation department, they said they had immediately informed irrigation officials, but the officials did not reach the spot.

The villagers were trying to plug the breach on their own.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014