KARACHI, Oct 3: A police van and a police car were set on fire on M.A. Jinnah Road by a charged mob on Wednesday after one of the vehicles ‘during race with the other’ hit a woman and her five-year-old son, officials said.

They added the police car and the van bearing registration number SP-044 were escorting a prison van on its way back from the city courts when one of the ‘rashly driven’ vehicles hit 35-year-old Wajiha and her son, Afzaal, near the Radio Pakistan building.

“The woman and her son sustained serious injuries and were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi,” said deputy superintendent of police Ali Asif.

“The incident sparked a violent protest. Area people surrounded the two police vehicles and shouted slogans against the police. Findings themselves getting trapped, the police officials made their escape while abandoning the two vehicles,” he said.

During the protest, charged youths set the vehicles on fire and also burnt tyres on M.A. Jinnah Road, causing severe traffic jam on the busy thoroughfare.

“The situation started returning to normality after the Preedy police officials cordoned off the area and helped dispersing the crowd. By the time fire tender arrived at the scene, both vehicles were completely destroyed,” the DSP added.

He said the injured boy was discharged from hospital after being provided with treatment and the woman was admitted for a minor surgery, but she was said to be stable.

“The vehicles, which were escorting the prison van, belonged to the Taimuria and Clifton police stations. The officials travelling in the two vehicles are being traced before the registration of the case,” he said.