NAROWAL: A filling station employee was shot dead and his two colleagues were injured by men for refusing to fill jerry cans with petrol the other night after the government announced Rs55 per litre hike in petrol price.

A video of the altercation and murder in the Hajipura police area went viral on social media.

Muhammad Nawaz, a resident of Nothen village, Hafizabad, filed a complaint with the police, saying that his nephew, Sibtain Ali, was working at the filling pump on Daska Road, Hajipura, Sialkot. Two persons arrived at the filling station in a car and pressured filling station worker, Hassan Khan, to fill petrol in jerry cans. Hassan Khan refused to fill the cans with petrol as per the policy. The people in the car left after abusing and threatening him of dire consequences.

An hour later, the car driver came back with his companions armed with automatic weapons and they all started torturing the filling station staff. They hit Muhammad Shahbaz with the butt of a pistol and injured him while they opened fire, injuring Sibtain and manager Hassan Ali.

The suspects fled the scene, brandishing weapons. The injured workers were shifted to the government hospital. Sibtain died on the way before reaching the hospital.

The video of the fight and shooting at the petrol station went viral on social media. Sialkot District Police Officer Dost Muhammad took strict notice of the incident and formed a team, headed by City DSP Tariq Mahmood. Police conducted raids with the help of CCTV cameras and human intelligence and arrested the main suspect, Khawaja Muneeb. They are trying to arrest his accomplices.

Hajipora police registered an FIR against the Khawaja Muneeb, Khawaja Abdullah and Muhammad Mubeen on the complaint of Nawaz.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2026