Three minors killed: Farmer’s house blown up by mysterious blast

Police dismisses reports of a rocket attack.

QAMBER-SHAHDADKOT: Three children were killed and two women were injured in a mysterious blast in Sijawal Junejo tehsil of Qamber-Shahdadkot on Monday.

Initial reports suggested a rocket was fired at the house of a farmer, Muhammad Qasim, in Belo Khan Dahani village. The blast, which was heard in a 1.5-kilometre radius away from the site, killed three of his children - Muhammad Ali, 12, Shahnawaz, four, and three-year old Lal Bano. Qasim’s wife, Waryam Khatoon, and another daughter, 18-year old Kazbano, were seriously injured. The injured were rushed to the Chandka Medical Hospital, Larkana.

According to Qasim’s brother, Ghawar Khan, they had a marriage dispute with fellow Dahanis and accused them of carrying out the attack. He said that three men came on motorcycles with a launcher and fired a rocket at the house.



The police dismissed, however, that the explosion was a rocket attack. Qamber-Shahdadkot SSP Faizullah Korejo said that the explosion and the post-attack events did not indicate towards a rocket attack and it was more likely that something inside the house went off. SSP Korejo hinted at a stockpile of explosives maintained by Qasim on account of his rivalries, which included a land dispute with the Rinds.

He said that it appeared from the children’s remains that they were playing around something, which could be one of the explosives they may have found, or something buried under the compound where the children were playing. No one from the village saw any motorcyclists carrying a launcher around the victim’s house, he added.

The SSP also said that the Bomb Disposal Squad’s (BDS) help has been sought and their initial assessment has also discounted a rocket attack. A report, he said, will be submitted by the BDS tomorrow, which will make things clear.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2013.