LAHORE: Six people were shot and wounded when two groups clashed in Shadbagh on Sunday.

Police said the Rana and Gujjar groups were in rivalry and on Sunday people from the Gujjar group came to settle the dispute with the Rana group.

The two sides exchanged words and soon the Gujjar group opened fire on the rivals. Five people from the Rana group and a passer-by were shot and wounded.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital where two of them are believed to be critical. Police arrested three suspects from Gujjar groups and registered one case.

Meanwhile, a man was injured on Sunday by a kite line lost in Islampura.

Police said Waqar, 23, was riding a motorcycle when a kite string got tangled in his neck.

The victim was injured and was taken to a nearby hospital where she could have been released after receiving treatment. Kite flying has been banned in Punjab for several years because of the casualties. Any offense is punishable by imprisonment and a fine or both under the law. However, young people use kites in some areas of the city in violation of the ban.

A spokesperson for the Lahore police said that around 10,000 cases of kite theft had been recorded against suspects during the current year.

Posted in Dawn, October 25, 2021