LAHORE, Oct 28: The killing of a young factory worker by a speeding bus at Lal Pul (Canal Road) stop and ‘late arrival’ of the local police on the spot led to a strong protest and blockade of traffic on Tuesday morning.

Muhammad Jehangir, 25, who belonged to Jhelum, was standing at a bus stop (Lal Pul) to catch conveyance for his workplace near Kalima Chowk. He tried to get into a private company’s bus (LRC-5631) the driver of which accelerated without waiting for the commuter to get inside as a result of which he fell down and was run over by the bus.

He was taken to the Services Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The bus driver took to the heels.

Scores of commuters, including students, and some people of the area immediately thereafter blocked the road to traffic, broke all the windowpanes of the bus and damaged it in protest against recklessness of the driver.

They alleged that the police reached the spot after much delay which led to the escape of the driver, and demanded his arrest at the earliest. The police, meanwhile, claimed having foiled some of the students’ attempt to torch the bus.

Ghaziabad SHO Mian Ameen told Dawn that the police reached the spot in time and controlled the situation after giving assurance to the protesters that the driver would be caught soon. He said a case had been registered against the absconder on the complaint of victim’s maternal uncle Javed Kiani, a resident of Tajpura Scheme.

Javed told the police that Jehangir, who had come to the city to earn livelihood, had been staying with him.