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4 killed as groups clash over sharing canal water in Punjab’s Batala
Around 50-60 gunshots were fired by both the groups and a car was seen riddled with bullets; SHO’s vehicle was also hit by a bullet.
Four people were killed after two groups of villagers opened fire at each other over an old enmity on Sunday night, police said on Monday.
The incident took place at Lighanwala Chowk in Sri Hargobindpur in Batala at 8pm on Sunday when a group from the nearby Vithwan village, led by its sarpanch Angrej Singh along with his brother Baljit Singh and nephew Shamsher Singh, confronted the other group, comprising residents of Vithwan, Gopalpur and Moorh villages.
Around 50-60 gunshots were fired by both the groups on each other. A car was seen riddled with bullets.
Sarpanch Angrej Singh was injured, while his brother Baljit and nephew Shamsher were killed. Nirmal Singh of Moorh and Balraj Singh of Gopalpur from the rival group were also killed. Two members of the Angrej Singh group and six of the other group, led by Major Singh of Vithwan village, were injured.
The injured were admitted to the civil hospital at Batala and some were rushed to a hospital in Amritsar.
A police patrol team, led by station house officer Satpal Singh, reached the spot but the vehicle of the SHO was also hit by a bullet.
Batala SSP Ashwini Gotyal said, “The clash was the fallout of an enmity between two families of Vithwan. They have been locked in a dispute over canal water being supplied to the farmland of both the families.”
A case was registered and investigation is underway
