KARACHI / HYDERA­BAD: As death toll from Saturday night’s passenger van accident on Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway rose to 15, the police authorities and health officials have begun gathering samples of family members of the victims for DNA test to identify the bodies.

They said that the samples were collected on Sun­day at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, where some eight people from the families of the victims came to provide samples.

“At least a week is required for final results,” an official said. “We expect more people contacting police to offer their samples for identification of the bodies of their loved ones.”

More than a dozen people were killed and several others injured when the passenger van overturned and caught fire on the motorway in the Nooriabad area.

“The vehicle was carrying more than 20 people when it met with the accident near Lucky Cement Factory,” said Additional IG of Motorway Police Dr Aftab Pathan. “The survivors who have been shifted to hospital include the van driver and a child. The deceased could not be identified as their bodies have been charred and are beyond recognition.”

The van was on its way to Karachi from Hyderabad when the accident took place.

Meanwhile, Nooria­bad police have found a clue about the occupant of a car whose bonnet flew off and hit the van that subsequently overturned and caught fire. The man is believed to be a resident of Karachi and he was driving a Suzuki Cultus car.

Hyderabad range DIG Naeem Shaikh said the man had not yet been picked up. The car had reached the toll plaza without its bonnet after the accident on Saturday night, he added.

No FIR was registered till Sunday night.

The DIG said the remains of the passengers retrieved from the van showed that 15 people had died.

The Nooriabad police said they had received reports about death of 15 people and injuries to 11 others. The dead and the injured mostly be­­long to Hyderabad district.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2020