Two dead, 10 injured as groups clash in Golimar

A violent clash between two religious groups following a verbal confrontation on Sunday turning the Golimar area into a battleground. The altercation resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to 10 others.

Mobs also set eight vehicles ablaze. Although personnel of police and other law enforcement agencies were present at the scene, they could not control the situation.

A religious camp was set up near the Hyderi Masjid and Imambargah in New Golimar within the limits of the Rizvia police station. At around 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon, a rally of another religious group reached the Golimar area while it was going from Liaquatabad to Gurumandir.

During this time, slogans were exchanged between the two groups, and the situation quickly aggravated. At first, some violent elements pelted their rivals with stones, and later gunshots were fired turning the street into a battlefield.

The intense firing echoed throughout the area. Although police and law enforcement personnel were present, they failed to disperse the fighting groups.

Enraged people also set fire to eight vehicles, including a Shehzore truck, a passenger coach, two hi-roof vans, a rickshaw and three motorcycles.

As a result of the firing, two individuals were killed, and 10 others injured. The clash caused widespread panic from New Golimar to Gurumandir and Patel Para, and their surrounding streets.

The deceased men were identified as 17-year-old Shaheryar, alias Sherry, resident of FC Area, and 25-year-old Junaid Mehdi, son of Intizar Mehdi, resident of Ancholi.

Among the injured were 30-year-old Hazrat Umar, son of Muhammad Ghani; 17-year-old Hamza, son of Shafiq; 35-year-old Kausar, son of Ghulam Muhammad; 26-year-old Muhammad Ibrahim, son of Muhammad Qasim; 35-year-old Hanzala, son of Yusuf; 35-year-old Moheb, son of Nazarullah; 27-year-old Abdul Rahim, son of Abdul Aleem; and 18-year-old Umair, son of Abdul Salam.

The bodies of Shaharyar and Junaid were shifted to the Civil Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital respectively. Tension persisted in the area till the filing of this news story.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar took notice of the violence and sought a report from the Central SSP about the incident. "The safety measures for citizens should be made highly robust and foolproof," stated the home minister as he ordered rapid action against lawbreakers.

Later, the Karachi additional IG said the tense situation had been brought under control and a heavy contingent of the police was present at the scene. He vowed that strict action would be taken against the miscreants involved in the firing.

A large contingent of the Rangers also arrived at the scene to control the situation.