GUJRAT, May 16: Saddar police in Gujrat registered a case on Sunday and sealed the FIR lodged in connection with Saturday night's armed clash in Madina Syedan village in which 14 people had died over a minor dispute.

The conflicting claims that surfaced last night about the death toll and the motive behind the incident were also cleared on Sunday. Gujrat GHQ hospital sources had put the number of dead at 18 last night. The mistake in counting occurred because of the panic created by the crossfire between the rivals and subsequent power breakdown.

The rivals, it may be mentioned, had traded fire on the hospital premises when the dead and the injured were brought there. Sources claimed on Sunday that all the injured admitted to the hospital had slipped for fear of being arrested.

DSP Headquarters Mahmoodul Hasan Qureshi told this correspondent that they had picked up six suspects and were interrogating them. He said a 'massive crackdown' would be launched shortly to arrest the murderers.

MOTIVE: It emerged on Sunday that one of the slain, Chaudhry Ishtiaq alias Shaqi of Gandhra, had beaten up and injured the wife of Rafiqe Shah in the village over a minor dispute three days ago. Shaqi also set ablaze the crop of Rafiqe Shah.

Sadar police refused to entertain Rafiqe when he visited the police station for registration of a case. Dejected at police behaviour, Rafiq sought villagers' help who lent him full support to settle the score.

When Shaqi came to know of this, he contacted Chaudhry Mumtaz alias Bila Marrarr Puria, a prominent figure, to broker a reconciliation between him and the residents. Bila reportedly contacted Naib Nazim Fazeelat Shah and sought his help.

Fazeelat called a Panchayat where Chaudhry Mumtaz and Shaqi were invited. During the proceedings, Waqar Haider alias Bilay Shah of Madina Syedan and Shaqi exchanged hot words.

Members of both the groups came out from the outhouse of Fazeelat and trade fire on Madina Syedan road. Shaqi was wanted by Lalamusa city police in a murder case of three expatriates and had been declared a proclaimed offender.