Manhole-fall death protested

FAISALABAD:

Hundreds of residents staged a protest demonstration on Saturday against Tandlianwala town municipal authority after a man died after falling in an open manhole.

The protesters gathered at the officer of Tandlianwala superintendent and chanted slogans against TMA officials.

They put the body of the deceased near Nehar Bangla Bridge and blocked the road for traffic. Talking to newsmen, Rehmatullah, a protester, said Muhammad Gulzar, 40, went missing three days ago. He said relatives had looked for him and later, filed a missing person complaint. He said on Saturday morning, Gulzar’s body was found in a manhole near the office of Tandlianwala SP.

Akbar Ali, another protester, said such holes had become death traps for residents of Tandlianwala. “We have requested the TMA as well as police to cover the manholes or close them permanently but no one paid attention to the problem,” he said.

The protesters chanted slogans against the TMA and demanded action against those responsible for leaving an uncovered manhole. A heavy police contingent reached the scene and pacified the protesters and assured them that action would be taken.

The Tandlianwala SHO said police suspected that Gulzar did not die by falling in the manhole but was murdered.

He said the body had been sent to a morgue for post-mortem examination.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2014.