KARACHI: Karachi police on Saturday booked the owner and administration staff of the factory directly linked to the deadly charity stampede here that killed around 11 people and injured several others on Friday.
At least 11 people had been killed while five were injured in the stampede inside a factory at the Naurus intersection in the city’s SITE area, the latest of such incidents in which people lost their lives seeking free ration. The case was registered at the SITE-A police station on the complaint of Sub-inspector Malik Asif Zia under Sections 337H-2 (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act), 322 (punishment for unintentional murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
According to the First Information Report, negligence by the factory staff caused a stampede during the distribution of ration also resulting in deaths. The FIR further stated that the children and women were killed in the stampede that took place as soon as the factory guards opened a small factory gate to let the crowd in for collecting ration. It further said that factory managers Jaseem and Islam had been distributing cash as Zakat at the dyeing factory on behalf of factory owner Abdul Khaliq for several years.
The nominated accused include Khaliq, two managers and seven others. According to the police, eight suspects including the managers and factory owner had already been arrested.
Stampede incident
The incident occurred while people gathered at the factory in the city’s industrial area to get ration — which is part of charity drives that Muslims hold especially in Ramadan to help the needy. The dead include eight women and three children, the rescue and police officials said. As many as six people also fainted in the stampede, rescue sources said.
