9 killed in Indian village in clash over land dispute

LUCKNOW, India – Police say a village head and his supporters opened fire on a rival group in a land dispute in a northern Indian village, killing nine people and injuring four others.

Police officer Brij Bhushan says two of the attackers were arrested in Murthiya, a village in Sonbhadra district, 300 kilometres (185 miles) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

Bhushan says the village head, Yagya Dutt, purchased some land from a government official around two years ago, but some people opposed the deal, claiming that the land belonged to them.

Bhushan says when Dutt tried to take possession of land with his supporters on Wednesday, the rival group challenged him and the clash broke out.