Case filed against factory owner after 11 die in Karachi ration stampede

• Case registered at SITE A police station.
• Sections 322, 337H-2 and 34 of PPC included in FIR.
• Nearly 10 people arrested so far.

KARACHI: Police booked on Saturday the owner and administration staff of the factory linked with the deadly stampede in Karachi that killed around a dozen people and injured several others. 

At least 11 people had been killed and five were injured on Friday during a stampede inside the premises of a factory at the Naurus intersection in Karachi's SITE area, the latest incident in which people lost their lives to seek free edibles.

The case was registered at the SITE A police station on behalf of Sub-inspector (SI) Malik Asif Zia under Sections 322 (punishment for unintentional murder), 337H-2 (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

As per the first information report (FIR), negligence by factory staff caused a stampede during the distribution of ration that resulted in deaths.

It stated that the women and children were killed in the stampede that took place as soon as the security guard opened the small gate of the factory to let the crowd in for the collection of rations. It added that factory managers Islam and Jaseem had been distributing cash as Zakat at the factory on behalf of factory owner Abdul Khaliq for several years.

The nominated suspects include Khaliq, the two managers and seven others.

The police said that eight suspects including the factory owner and managers had already been arrested. 

Police present arrested suspects before court

Later, the arrested suspects were presented before the court of judicial magistrate (East). During the hearing, the police requested 14-day physical remand of the suspects for interrogation, while the defence lawyer pleaded with the court to release the suspects.

"There is no offence on the suspects' part therefore they should be acquitted," the lawyer said.

The court then reserved the verdict on the police's request, which will be announced shortly.

The incident

The incident occurred while people were gathered at a dyeing factory in the city's industrial area to collect ration — which is part of charity drives that Karachiites hold every Ramadan to help the needy.

Those killed in the incident include eight women and three children, the rescue and police officials had told Geo News.

Six people also fainted during the stampede, rescue sources had said. According to police, a large number of people had gathered at the site where the ration was being distributed.