Child dies after being hit by a crane

FAISALABAD:

A child died after being hit by a crane that was picking up rubble at the Jhall Khannuana Underpass on Sunday. His relatives later placed the body on the road and staged a protest against the crane operator’s negligence.

The family held a demonstration at Abdullah Pur Chowk and blocked it for traffic. They demanded that the police arrest the crane operator without delay.

Anwar Ali, one of the protesters, said nine-year-old Nauman Ahmad, son of Muhammad Saleem, a resident of Shaheen Abad Mohallah, was walking near the site when a crane that was lifting rubble slammed into the boy. He said the crane operator was talking to someone on his cell phone when the accident happened.

Ali said the child was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The protesters said the child was killed because of the crane operator’s negligence and he should have to face the music. They shouted slogans against the crane operator and demanded that the police arrest him without delay. After three hours, the Peoples Colony DSP accompanied a police contingent to the scene and told the protesters that they would take action against the crane operator and provide the family justice.

The child’s relatives then called off the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.