Timergara tragedy: Five friends burnt alive in crash

Trader’s death sparks wave of protests.

TIMERGARA: At least six people were killed and six others were injured in separate incidents in Timergara on Thursday. 

In the first incident, five people were burnt alive when a car and coach collided and caught fire at Katkala. The deceased belonged to Nishtarabad, Peshawar.

Police said a passenger coach crashed into a car at Katkala on GT Road near Chakdara. As a result of the collision, the vehicles caught fire. All five passengers in the car were burnt to death. Six people travelling on the coach were injured.

According to the police, locals at the site shifted both the injured and the dead to a nearby hospital.

The deceased were identified as Syed Imran Khan, the son of Syed Abdul Rehman, Saji, son of Rahim Jan, Azizur Rehman, son of Adam, Tariq, son of Kala Khan, and Naveed, son of Nadar. Police said they belonged to Nishtarabad in the provincial capital.

All five of them were childhood friends who were travelling to Chitral to attend a wedding. Their bodies have been shifted to Peshawar.

A case was registered at Oach police station. Investigation is under way.

Gunned down

A trader, originally from the provincial capital, was killed during a robbery attempt on the outskirts of Lower Dir on Thursday.

A policeman told The Express Tribune Jameelullah was travelling to Timergara when his vehicle was intercepted by two unidentified robbers near Osakai. “They tried to snatch money from him,” he said. “However, he resisted the attempt. As a result, they opened fire on and killed him.”

According to the official, the robbers decamped with a large amount of money.

“Jameelullah worked at a foreign exchange office in Timergara,” he said. “The stolen money belonged to the office.” Police have registered an FIR against the incident and started investigation.

Jameelullah was laid to rest in the tehsil.

Up in arms

The incident sparked a wave of protests. A large number of traders took to the streets to voice their objections against the killing.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party members held a protest in the Shaheed Chowk against the district administration and blocked the roads. Demonstrators said they would continue to protest till the government arrests the culprits.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th,  2015.