(Rptg, changing name of tourist throughout)

Srinagar, May 28 (UNI) A tourist from Mumbai was killed when a scuffle broke out between two groups of shikarawalas at the Boulevard road on the banks of world famous Dal Lake here last evening, police said today.

Station House Officer (SHO) of Nehru Park Police Station Mohammad Rafiq told UNI the scuffle broke out between the shikarawalas when a group of tourists from Mumbai wanted to take a boat ride in the Dal Lake.

He said Swaran Pal Singh, the group leader of Mumbai tourists, had reached an agreement with Yasin, a shikarawala, for a boat ride in the Dal Lake.

However, Mr Rafiq said as the tourist were about to board the boats, a group of shikarawalas from Zabarwan ghat entered into a heated arguments with Yasin and others.

Hearing the noise, a tourist, Dhiraj Shah, came out of the nearby Zabarwan hotel and tried to pacify both the groups, he added.

The SHO said as Dhiraj Shah was trying to calm down the agitating shikarawalas, he was hit by a sharp object.

Dhiraj was critically wounded and immediately rushed to the Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial hospital at Rainawari here where he was declared brought dead.

Mr Rafiq said ten shikarawalas had been arrested in this connection while two others were absconding. Police have launched a hunt to trace them, he added.

UNI AG LS PM1646