Karachi: Rain death toll hits 61 as power riots continue

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Enraged protesters block roads, pelt vehicles with stones and resort to aerial firing

Staff Report

KARACHI: The death toll in rain-related incidents reached 61 as 10 more bodies of people drowned on Saturday were found from the various rivers, nullahs and other places. Two people were also killed in rain-related incidents, which took place on Monday.

Meanwhile, intense traffic jams crippled life in various parts of the city as riots over power outage and water supply suspension that erupted on Sunday continued on Monday as well.

Three drowned bodies of young men were found from two separate huts in the Hawkesbay area within the limits of Mauripur police station. One of the three drowned people was identified as 26-year-old Umer Zada, son of Sher Khan, a resident of Baldia Town. His family took the body away to his hometown Swat for burial process after legal formalities, while the remaining two were yet to be identified and their bodies were shifted to Edhi morgue, Sohrab Goth for identification.

A drowned body of a six-year-old boy was found at the shipyard, within the limits of Docks police station. The boy was identified as Nabi Umer, son of Sher Bahadur, a resident of Ajmal Para, Lasi Goth.

Similarly, a 36-year-old man who was identified as Sarbuland Khan, son of Aqalmand Khan, drowned to death in Baloch Colony River, within the limits of Peerabad police station. The man was said to be a resident of Mohammad Colony and drowned to death after his feet slipped.

A drowned body of 25-year-old Zeeshan, son of Khan Afsar, was found In Lyari River near Gulbai, within the limits of Sher Shah police limits.

The deceased was said to be a resident of Liaquatabad area while another drowned body of Yashwa, 10, son of Pervez was found from the nullah in Punjabi Para, F C Area, in the limits of Liaquatabad police station.

Four more drowned unidentified bodies including a body of three-year-old boy were found from separate rivers and nullahs in Garden area, Gulbahar, Mehmoodabad and Native Jetty, within the Jackson police station limits.

A six-year-old girl named Neha, daughter of Wilson, was killed and her elder sister, Yasmin, sustained injuries as the roof and walls of their house collapsed on Monday within the limits of Mehmoodabad police station. The victims were said to be the residents of Railway Colony, Kala Pul area.

It should be noted here that at least the death toll has unofficially reached up to 61, while according to a list prepared by four government hospitals, 30 bodies and 63 injured persons were brought to there.

Meanwhile angry protesters blocked roads and clashed with law enforcers in various parts of the city.

Enraged protesters blocked the main roads of the city, attacked the offices of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) and set tyres on fire.

The riots occurred on the main arteries of the city including the Super Highway, Sharah-e-Faisal, MA Jinnah Road. Clifton, Zamzama, Gizri, Neelam Colony, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Baldia Town, Mehmoodabad, Akhtar Colony, Dawood Chowrangi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, University Road, Safoora, Landhi Korangi, Malir, Quaidabad, Garden, North Nazimabad, Paposh Nagar, Chandni Chowk, FTC flyover, Natha Khan Goth, and various parts of Lyari town.

The protesters pelted vehicles with stones, chanted slogans against the KESC management and resorted to aerial firing.

The protests and road blockades resulted in intense traffic jams in the city.

The mobs protesting at various KESC offices were intercepted by the guards deployed there, despite which the offices were ransacked, but the officers managed to escape unscathed.

The KESC called in Rangers and police to guard its installations, and to maintain the law and order situation but in many areas the protester confronted the police and they had to resort to aerial firing and use teargas shells to disperse the enraged protesters.

Residents of Gadap Town and New Sabzi Mandi, blocked the Superhighway, PIB Colony, Lasbella, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, North Nazimabad, Landhi, Orangi Town and Lyari while also staging sit-ins, demonstrations and ransacking the KESC compliant centres.

It seemed like people’s patience had run out, as they demanded that the KESC management be replaced as soon as possible.

However, according to a handout issued on Monday, Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza has directed the law enforcers to deal with the protestors peacefully and to avoid using tear gas and baton charges against them.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg12_1