Karachi: Two tortured to death by angry mob over child kidnapping fears

KARACHI: In a shocking incident, two people were tortured to death by a furious mob in Karachi’s Machhar Colony after rumours spread that they were kidnapping children.

Citing local people, the police said that the duo were trying to kidnap children when they were caught red-handed and were subjected to severe torture by an angry mob. Later, both men succumbed to their injuries on the spot.

Meanwhile, DIG South took notice of the incident and sought a report from Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kiamari Fida Hussain Janwari in this regard.

On the other hand, SSP Kiamari said that both people were employees of a telecom company. “All aspects of the incident are being investigated,” he said, adding that all those involved in the incident would be dealt with according to law.

Families of slain men demand justice

Speaking to journalists at the Civil Hospital’s Trauma Centre, Arif — the cousin brother of one of the lynched men Aiman Javed — said that the victim was the youngest among his four siblings and graduated with an engineering degree from Sindh University.

“He was working at a telecom company and belonged to Thatta. He was to get married after some time,” Arif said, adding that Aiman would travel to Thatta to meet his family every week and was temporarily residing in North Karachi.

“Aiman went to Machhar Colony with the driver. When they stopped their vehicle to ask for directions from a child, locals mistook them for kidnappers,” the victim’s cousin said.

Arif demanded the government conduct a free and fair investigation into his cousin’s killing and sought justice.

Meanwhile, the uncle of the other lynched man Saeed Ishaq Panwhar also spoke to the media and revealed that he was employed as a driver at the telecom company for the last four to five months.

“The victims had two daughters and a son, while one of his daughters was born recently. Ishaq belonged to Naushahro Feroze and came to Karachi for work,” the uncle told journalists.

According to the police, the bodies of both the slain men have been shifted from the Civil Hospital to a mortuary at Shahrah-e-Faisal. The bodies will be taken to their native areas for burial tomorrow.