SWABI: Eight people were killed and two injured when rival groups, stated to be relatives, clashed during a jirga convened to resolve a land dispute in Chota Lahor village here on Saturday, the police said.

The families belong to Chota Lahor and Yar Hussain villages.

The police officials, who conducted the preliminary investigations, said that members of the two families had gathered to resolve the land dispute through a jirga, but they fell out and traded fire. As a result, five people from one side and three from the other were killed on the spot. Two others were injured.

The jirga was held at the hujra (common guesthouse) of former MNA Sardar Ali.

When contacted, district police officer Imran Shahid told Dawn that five people were killed from one side and three from the other. The clash occurred in the presence of jirga members, he added.

Those killed were identified as Obaid Khan, Skiandar Khan, Waqas Khan, Akmal Khan, Ubaidullah, Saeedur Rehman, Nasir Khan and Babar Khan. The injured men were shifted to the Bacha Khan Hospital Complex, Shahmansoor, while the dead were taken to the Chota Lahor Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for autopsy.

The Chota Lahor city police registered cross FIRs and started further investigations.

Meanwhile, a six-year-old boy was killed when a loaded gun went off accidentally in Gabasni village of Gadoon Amazai on Saturday.

The police said Ahmad, 6, and Hussain Khan, 7, were playing with a loaded gun in their home when the latter suddenly pulled the trigger which resulted into killing of the other.

The Utla police registered an FIR and started investigation.

Also in the day, the commuters confronted problems in reaching their destinations because majority of the public transport vehicles remained off the road due to non-availability of CNG.

The passengers in a large numbers flocked to the general bus stand in the district headquarters and other bus stops eagerly waiting for hours for the public transport.

When contacted, Fazal Amin, general secretary of Swabi CNG Association, said low pressure had led to suspension of the CNG supply.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2020