KARACHI: A farmer was killed in a stampede during the sale of subsidized flour in Mirpurkhas on Saturday.
Several people were injured in similar incidents at subsidized flour sale points in Badin and Shaheed Benazirabad, leading to protests. According to the details, hundreds of people gathered to buy a 10 kg bag of flour at a cheap price of Rs 65 from the sale point in Mirpurkhas. The rush resulted in a stampede and ultimately the death of 37-year-old Harsingh alias Gulhi Bhil, a father of seven children including six daughters.
A large number of people from the Bhil community as well as workers of various political parties protested outside the Mirpurkhas Press Club with his body. He also demanded registration of FIR against Deputy Commissioner Mirpurkhas for failing to ensure availability of flour to flood victims and other needy people.
Talking to the media representatives, he alleged that the Sindh government has failed to provide flour to the lakhs of people displaced by the floods in 23 districts of the province. He described it as unfortunate that people were losing their lives in the struggle to get bags of flour at cheap rates. They claimed that they were forced to buy flour at Rs 150-170 per kg and rejected the government’s claim of availability at Rs 65.
Similarly, in Tando Bagu area of Badin district, many people including two women were injured when the crowd gathered to buy flour at cheap prices.
Agitated people demonstrated outside the local police station to register their protest. They said that while buying flour from the truck sent to the district administration, the police personnel beat them up.
Three women were injured in a stampede while buying subsidized flour from a makeshift shop in Skarund area of Shaheed Benazirabad. After this, people protested on the streets in various districts against the sharp increase in the prices of flour and other essential commodities.
