CHINIOT: A clash occurred between a group of transgenders and students at Tehsil Chowk in Chiniot on Friday.

The students forced the road-blocking transgenders to flee and many of them had to seek refuge in nearby shops and offices.

The police later rescued the transgenders and shifted them to safe places in patrol vehicles.

The incident began when scores oftransgendersgathered at Tehsil Chowk and staged a sitin blocking the road.They demanded that the district police officer replace the current victim support officer (VSO), Sana Imran, with a transgender of their choice.

Traffic was suspended for hours, and the protesters even stopped students from passing through on their way to nearby schools and colleges.

Some transgenders also removed some of their clothing and started dancing, which drew a crowd and further worsened the situation.

The transgenders alleged that Sana was not working in their best interests and was instead creating problems when they lodged complaintsor sought legal assistance.

They demanded that former VSO Summan Chaudhry be reinstated.

Tensions escalated when a student from the Government Islamia College attempted to cross the chowk but was stopped by the protesters.

The transgenders allegedly struck the student with rods and injured him. The student returned to his college via an alternate route and informed his classmates. In retaliation, dozens of students arrived at the chowk and started attacking the protesters. The transgenders ran and hid in nearby shops and offices.The students cleared the protest, allowing traffic to resume. Although the police initially did not intervene, they later arrived to rescue the hiding transgenders.

The police spokesperson said District Police Officer Abdullah Ahmad has tasked DSP Circle City Shapib Ahmad with conducting a fact-finding inquiry to ensure a merit-based resolution.

KILLED: Nasir Abbas Glotar of Mohallah Rai Chand, Chiniot, shot his wife, Shaista Bibi, following a family dispute.

The couple, married for several years, had three children:Muhammad Abdullah, 15, and Mah Noor, 13.

Three months ago, Nasir had a quarrel with his wife and forced her out of their home along with the children.

Shaista, a schoolteacher, rented a house and continued living there with her children, who attended the same school where she taught. While returning from school with her children, Nasir, with his two accomplices, shot her dead and fled.

City police registered a case under section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and are conducting raids to arrest the culprits.