Shocking negligence: Workers protest against labourer’s death

Labourer Afzal Ali was killed when he touched a machine that had short-circuited.

FAISALABAD: Power loom workers staged a demonstration on Monday after a labourer died from electric shocks at a factory there.

Afzal Ali had worked at a power loom at Sadhar, located in the Thikriwala area.

After the worker’s death, the demonstrators gathered at Sadhar Bypass Chowk and blocked the road for all kinds of traffic. They placed the body on the road to block the traffic.

Shafiq Anwar, one of the protesters, said the deceased, Afzal Ali, a father of four children, had been a resident of chak 67-JB.

“He was working at the power loom factory where when he touched a short-circuited machine,” Anwar said.

Anwar said the accident was a result of the negligence of the factor owner, who had not installed safety devices.

“All factory owners are legally bound to install circuit breakers to stop such incidents from occurring, but some of them try to avoid the expense,” Anwar said.

The protesters chanted slogans against the factory owner and held him responsible for the worker’s death.

A police contingent, headed by a DSP, visited the area and negotiated with the protesters. The protesters dispersed after they were assured that legal action would be taken against the factory administration.

Boy electrocuted:

Unidentified men killed a 14-year-old boy in Factory Area on Monday by giving him electric shocks. According to police, Umar Farooq, a resident of Gaushala Dijkot Road, was given electric shocks. He was then thrown in front of his house. He was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead.

Police have registered a case and are investigating.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2014.