Hand-grenade attack: Three sweepers injured in Lyari

Police feel the culprits only wanted to create panic and unrest.

KARACHI:

At least three sanitation workers were injured in a grenade attack outside the Lyari Town office within the jurisdiction of Napier police station on Saturday morning.

The police said, however, that only two men were injured. The sweepers were working on the road when the attack took place. Gul Muhammad, 45, son of Raj Ali, and Sandeep, 21, son of Achand, were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi, where they received first aid and were later discharged.

SP Saqib Sultan told The Express Tribune that unidentified motorcyclists threw the hand grenade outside the office. It appears that no individual was targeted and the culprits only wanted to frighten people, said Sultan.

Lyari Town administrator Muhammad Raeesi condemned the incident. According to him, the grenade went off at around 8:30 am and injured three workers. He believed that another sanitation worker, Mukesh Kumar, was also wounded but no major losses were reported. Since it was early, no officer was inside the building.

According to witnesses, two men on a motorcycle threw a grenade at the office. “They came from Napier Road side and ran toward the Lea Market area,” said one man. “Fortunately, the grenade hit the tree outside the office otherwise it would have caused more destruction.”

Another man claimed that he saw two other men on a motorcycle near the office when the attackers threw the grenade.

“We tried to chase them but, fortunately or unfortunately, our motorcycle slipped and we were unable to catch them.”

The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) reached the site. “We have collected the evidence,” said BDS expert ASI Khizar. “Apparently, it was a Russian hand grenade but it will only become clear by the final report.” The attack caused panic in the neighbourhood and a heavy contingent of police and Rangers was called in on patrol. The police registered FIR No. 19/11 on behalf of the state against unidentified men. The case was lodged under the terrorism act.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2011.