KARACHI: An eight-year old girl, who was injured in an explosion in the Bihar Colony area of Lyari on Monday night, succumbed to her wounds during treatment on Tuesday, bringing the death toll in the incident to two, according to police and hospital officials.

Eight persons, including two young siblings, and one woman were wounded when two suspects riding a motorbike had lobbed explosives in a street behind Yasin Masjid in Bihar Colony. The wounded persons were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi where Mrs Razia Mohammed Ali, 38, died during treatment.

On Tuesday noon, one more victim, Nazia, also died during treatment, said police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. Her brother, Adil, 6, was among the others admitted to the hospital.

Chakiwara SHO Adeel Ahmed said the police were treating it as a case of terrorism. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

All the victims were passers-by, he said.

South-DIG Syed Asad Raza, quoting the bomb disposal squad’s report said that it was a ‘firecracker’ not a grenade.

He said the suspects threw ‘cracker’ outside the closed shop.

“The motive is still not clear,” he said adding that the police were investigating the incident from different aspects, including extortion and personal enmity.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2023