Three labourers crushed to death during anti-encroachment drive in Peshawar

Administration had often issued notices and warnings against illegal encroachments but to no avail

PESHAWAR: Three labourers were killed when they were crushed under an excavator being used to demolish illegal encroachments around Ghanta Ghar area of Peshawar on Friday evening, Express News reported.

According to Express News correspondent Umar Siddique, the town administration of ‘Machhli Mandi’ were demolishing encroachments when roadside vendors and hawkers staged a protest against the administrative action. During this process, the labourers were crushed to death by an excavator brought to the site.

Police said the CMO and other employees of the municipal corporation launched an operation against encroachment in the area, and when encroachment from one side was cleared, shopkeepers gathered on the other side and started stoning the excavator to stop it.

“The excavator crushed three people to death as it was reversed by the driver, said a police official of the local Kutwali police station while talking to The Express Tribune. “The driver fled the area along with other employees of the corporation.”

He said two dead bodies were under the excavator and one had been removed by the people on self-help basis.

He added that people had gathered and were protesting against the local government.

“We fired in the air to disperse the highly charged mob,” he said.

The administration said it had issued several notices and warnings over the demolition of encroachments but to no avail.

The residents had also complained about the illegal encroachments, as the area was densely-populated and created difficulties to move around.