BAHAWALPUR: An underage labourer, Ali Hassan (14), died after falling in a brick kiln on Friday night at village 269/EB in the limits of Sadder police station of Vehari.

According to Rescue 1122, while working Ali’s foot got trapped between the gaps of baking bricks and fell into the kiln.

The rescuers pulled his charred body out of the kiln and shifted it to the Vehari DHQ Hospital.

The deceased’s family staged a protest over his death and police had started investigation.

It is alleged that labourers had to work without any safety measures and necessary equipment at the brick kilns in the area and there was no check on the kilns by officials of the environment and labour departments.

Locals claim that a few months ago, a minor girl was also burnt to death in a brick kiln in the limits of Vehari Sadder police station. However, no action had been taken against the brick kiln owner by the departments concerned.

ACCIDENTS: Three persons, including a woman and a minor girl, were killed and four, including two women, suffered injuries in three separate traffic accidents in Hasilpur, Bahawalpur and Ahmedpur East on Saturday.

According to Rescue 1122, four-year old Aqsa Bibi was killed when her dupatta got stuck inside the chain of a motorcycle loader rickshaw, killing her on the spot in the Satellite Town area of Hasilpur. Her body was shifted to Hasilpur THQ Hospital.

In the second accident, driver Muhammad Akhtar (45) of a motorcycle loader rickshaw died when his rickshaw loaded with iron bars and girders overturned trapping him under it near the Dera Bakha Phatak in Bahawalpur.

In another accident, a girl identified as Naggu Mai (16) was killed, while four others of her family including Mahiwal (50), Tasleem Bibi (45) Alisha (18) and Muhammad Majid (10) suffered injuries when they were hit by a speeding car at Adda Zahirpir near Ahmedpur East.

According to rescuers, the family was standing on the side of the road when an over-speeding car struck them. Police reached the scene to take action against the driver, while the body of the deceased and the injured were shifted to the Ahmedpur East THQ Hospital.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2025