Two telecom workers lynched

Mob mistook the victims for child kidnappers; 12 suspects arrested

KARACHI:

Two employees of a telecommunication company were lynched by a mob on Friday in Machhar Colony area after branding them as child
kidnappers.

The grisly incident occurred in the limits of Docks police station. In the video footage available with The Express Tribune, the mob can be seen setting a vehicle on fire, possibly belonging to the deceased. It also shows that scores of people had gathered and the two victims were pelted with rocks before being beaten with blunt objects.

A resident told The Express Tribune that rumours of two child kidnappers had been swirling in the area before the gruesome incident. “An unverified news is still circulating in the area and no one is sure why they were killed,” he added.

SSP Keamari Fida Janwari, who reached the scene to probe into the matter, said that they were investigating the incident from different angles.

He confirmed that the two deceased were employees of a telecom company who were checking signals in the area.

“After registering the case, investigation will be done on merit and all the accused involved in the lynching will be arrested,” said SSP Janwari.

Among the dead was 27-year-old Ayman Javed, who worked as an engineer in the cellular company. He had taken up employment in the company last year.

Javed’s brother Arif said that he is originally from Thatta district of Sindh, while his brother had rented a house in North Karachi.

Javed, the youngest of five siblings, was an engineering graduate from Sindh University. His parents are deeply saddened by his merciless killing. Javed was scheduled to get married after some time.

The other victim was identified as Ishaq Panhwar, who was employed as a driver in the cellular company. Panhwar was father of
three children while a daughter was born to him a few days ago.

Panhwar was the eldest of five brothers from Naushahro Feroze.

He had joined the company a few months back. While speaking to the media at the Civil Hospital, the victims’ family members demanded justice. They said that each and every accused involved in the brutal murder of their loved ones must be brought to justice.

A Docks police officer said that he was on another street when he heard the noise. An anti-polio campaign was underway in the area and a motorcycle squad of police was deployed to provide security to the vaccinators.

As soon as he heard the noise, he rushed to the scene and tried to save the victims, but the mob was so large and charged that they also beat him with bricks.

Other police officers, who were nearby and arrived to save the victims, were also subjected to torture.

Police claim that they could not find anything, including mobile phones and company equipment, on the deceased. However, sources said that the two were checking signals in the area and had all the necessary equipment required for the purpose.

It is suspected that the deceased’s mobile phones and equipment were snatched by the mob or thrown into a drain near the crime scene.

When a police contingent arrived, the people present at the spot gave conflicting statements, sometimes calling the victims robbers and at others describing them as child abductors. Late at night police arrested 12 suspects.