10 FIRs lodged against factory owners in Keamari deaths case

The District Keamari police on Wednesday registered 10 FIRs against the owners of the factories that allegedly caused the deaths of locals in the Mochko area.

Officials said that toxic fumes had killed 18 people in Ali Muhammad Goth. Moreover, on the court’s order, police registered 10 cases on the complaints of the families of the deceased.

They added that the cases were registered at the Mochko police station under sections of Qatl-e-khata, negligence and causing loss of life. According to the FIRs, several factories in Ali Muhammad Goth are producing recycled material, and the lack of safety arrangements there, smoke and pollution are causing environmental hazards. The complainants said that the effects of smoke have proved to be quite dangerous and life-threatening, with the toxic smoke and pollution from the factories resulting in the loss of human lives.

Police said they have registered the FIRs against the owners of the factories on the court’s orders under sections of negligence and selfishness leading to the loss of lives. They said they are carrying out raids to arrest the suspects.

Complainant Khadim Hussain lost his wife, daughter and two sons, complainant Ali Akber lost his daughter and nephew, complainant Mir Hassan lost three relatives, complainant Shakoor Ahmed lost his son and nephew, and complainant Muhammad Hassan lost his daughter.

Complainant Shabbir Ahmed lost his daughter, complainant Abdul Wahab lost his son, complainant Riaz Ali lost his daughter, complainant Wazeer Ahmed lost his wife, and complainant Ghulam Qadir lost his two grandparents.

Judicial custody

A District West judicial magistrate on Wednesday sent a Keamari factory owner who was held on charges of manslaughter and negligence to prison on judicial remand.

The investigating officer had brought Khair Muhammad, alias Sher Muhammad, before the magistrate on the completion of his physical remand.

Khair Muhammad and his two brothers who co-own the factory (Shahid Hussain and Saeed Khan) had been booked for alleged negligence that led to the emission of toxic fumes causing the deaths of 18 people in Ali Muhammad Goth.

The two brothers have obtained pre-arrest bail from a sessions court. Meanwhile, the IO has moved an application before the judicial magistrate seeking the exhumation of the bodies of the victims to ascertain the cause of their deaths.