Mirpurkhas man killed in stampede amid sale of subsidised flour

• People protest unfortunate death of peasant in stampede.
• Several people injured in similar incidents in different areas of Sindh. 
• Stampede occurred after people gathered at sale point to purchase flour at subsidised rate.

KARACHI: A peasant was crushed to death in a stampede that took place during the sale of subsidised flour in Mirpurkhas on Saturday, The News reported.

Several others were injured in similar incidents at sale points for the subsidised flour in Badin and Shaheed Benazirabad, which led to protests. As per details, several hundred people had gathered to purchase a 10 kg-flour bag at the subsided rate of Rs65 from the sale point in Mirpurkhas. The rush resulted in a stampede and the eventual death of Harsingh alias Gulahi Bheel, 37, who was the father of seven, including six daughters.

A large number of people from the Bheel community as well as workers of different political parties took his body and staged a demonstration outside the Mirpurkhas Press Club to register their protest. They also demanded the registration of an FIR against deputy commissioner, Mirpurkhas, for failure to ensure flour availability to the flood victims and other needy.

Talking to media persons, they alleged that the Sindh government had failed to even provide flour to millions of those displaced by floods in 23 districts of the province. They termed it unfortunate that people were losing lives in desperate effort to get flour bags at subsided rates. They claimed that they were forced to purchase flour at the rate of Rs 150-170 per kg and rejected the government’s claim of the commodity being available at Rs65.

Similarly in Tando Bago, district Badin, two women among several others were injured after the police baton-charged the crowd gathered to buy flour at subsided rates.

The enraged people staged a demonstration outside the local police station to register their protest. They said that they were thrashed by policemen while purchasing flour from a truck sent to the district administration.

Also in Sakrand, Shaheed Benazirabad, three women were injured during a stampede while purchasing subsidised flour from a makeshift shop. Afterwards, people protested on the roads in various districts against the steep rise in the prices of flour and other essential commodities.