Karachi student set on fire succumbs to injuries

Iqra University student Haris was kidnapped on February 16 and later dumped in Mehmoodabad after being set on fire

KARACHI: Iqra University student, who was kidnapped and burnt last month in Karachi, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, Express News reported.

Final-year engineering student Haris went missing after he left home for the university on February 16. He was reportedly kidnapped and then dumped in Mehmoodabad neighbourhood after being set on fire.

Read: Police puzzled after student set on fire, dumped

He was thrown out of a hi-roof van while engulfed in flames when some bystanders came to his rescue, putting out the fire and rushing him to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. He was then referred to the burns ward at Civil hospital.

The doctors treating Javed had earlier said that the student had 36 percent burn injuries, particularly on his chest, neck and underarms but was out of danger.

The incident was highlighted after a note was found on him, saying that if the ‘military operation’ did not end, other students would be treated in the same manner.

Earlier, Javed revealed that about a week ago, he was intercepted by unidentified men in a van when he was going to university. “I offered them my cellphone since I thought they were street criminals,” he said. “Instead, they started beating me and tried to kidnap me but I escaped.”

He went on to say that three men in a double-cabin vehicle stopped him near the varsity again, asking him about the earlier brawl.

“They wanted to know if I could identify my assailants and I said yes,” recounted the Akhtar Colony resident. “So they opened the rear door of the vehicle and told me to identify them. When I moved toward the vehicle, they pulled me in, covering my face with a piece of cloth.” The men drove for 40 minutes before locking him in a small room, bound and blindfolded.

“They came back after two days and asked me to place an object somewhere for them. When I refused, they tortured me,” Javed explained.

“They kept doing this every two hours and did not even give me any food.” They then took him to another place an hour’s drive away and drove him out again further, set him on fire, hurled him out of the car and fled.