An angry mob set fire to a cement mixing truck which struck and killed a motorcyclist in Gulistan-i-Jauhar early on Friday morning, according to police and rescue services officials.
Gulshan Superintendent of Police (SP) Ahmed Iqbal Memon told Dawn.com that an “apparently recklessly driven truck” hit the riders near Perfume Chowk at around 1am.
“One of the riders was killed while the other was injured,” SP Memon said. “The incident angered local residents, who came out and set the vehicle (the cement mixer) on fire.”
The police official added that the driver of the cement mixer was arrested and further investigation was launched. “Ostensibly, the incident appeared to be an outcome of reckless driving,” he told Dawn.com.
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 official Hassaan Khan told Dawn.com that the vehicle was completely destroyed in the fire.
In a separate incident, a motorcyclist was hit by a trailer truck in Liaquatabad, within the limits of Sharifabad police station.
Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi told Dawn.com that the victim was riding his bike on the Sharea Pakistan flyover in Liaquatabad when the 22-wheeler trailer hit him.
“He suffered critical injuries and was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) where doctors pronounced him dead,” SSP Siddiqui said. “The errant driver … has been arrested.”.
The police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the driver on the complaint of the victim’s wife under sections 320 (punishment for manslaughter by rash or negligent driving) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The complainant said in the FIR that she was at home when she received a call at 1:30am informing her that her husband had been injured in the accident and brought to ASH. She and her younger brother arrived at the hospital, but they were informed that the victim had expired.
On March 2, a man was killed in a traffic accident with a heavy vehicle in Karachi.
According to Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi, “The man was riding the motorcycle when a 16-wheeler trailer (TLA-142) hit him at 4:10am near Erum Bakery, Liaquatabad-4.”
“The man suffered critical injuries and was transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where he died,” SSP Siddiqi told Dawn.com.
An alarming increase was registered in road accidents in Karachi as nearly 500 people were killed while 4,879 were injured in 2024 due to a host of reasons ranging from reckless driving to construction activities, according to hospital data.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com that a total of 497 people were referred to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre/Civil Hospital Karachi and ASH for post-mortem examinations.
