Rawalpindi man killed in row over prayer rug

A man was killed after a motorcyclist ran over prayer rugs placed in the middle of Bank Road in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

At an iftar party organised by the traders union of Singapore Plaza in Saddar, police and eyewitnesses said iftar items were being served among the traders on when a man identified as Tanveer ran his motorcycle over the prayer rugs.

This infuriated one of the organisers, Sheikh Imran, and an exchange of harsh words occurred between the two men. Others managed to intervene and calm the two men down.

Tanveer later returned with 20 to 25 men equipped with rods and clubs and attacked Sheikh Imran and his companions. The clash, police said, left several people injured.

Subsequently, Imran took out his pistol and fired a bullet in the air that came back to hit a man in the neck, killing him on the spot. Imran managed to escape from the scene.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Cannt Circle Raja Taifoor confirmed the incident, saying a case was registered against Imran at Cantt Police Station on the complaint of the deceased’s brother.