Exchange of gunfire over violation of coronavirus SOPs leaves 5 injured in Lahore

By
Web Desk
|

LAHORE: At least five individuals were injured Thursday when two groups of people got into a dispute over the violation of coronavirus-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) in a private housing society here in the city's Kahna neighbourhood.

According to the housing society's administration, shops and restaurants in the locality were not adhering to the coronavirus SOPs. Hence, the administration wanted to shut them down for refusing to heed directives.

When officials of the administration, along with security guards, arrived at the bazaar to enforce closure of the shops, members of the market's union gathered for a confrontation, refusing to shut down their outlets.

Consequently, a scuffle broke out between the society's administration officials and the market union members. 

In the midst of all of it, one of the security guards opened fire, wounding at least five people, before fleeing, leaving behind their motorcycles and cars.

On the other hand, the market union officials claimed that the society administration extorted money from them under the guise of collecting taxes.

Police, however, said they were investigating the incident and would register a first information report (FIR) once the medical reports of the injured individuals was available.