Karachi: Six suspects arrested in dumper arson case

KARACHI: Police have arrested six suspects accused of setting seven dumper trucks ablaze on Rashid Minhas Road in Karachi after a deadly traffic accident that claimed the lives of two siblings.

According to officials, CCTV footage, eyewitness statements, and other evidence confirmed the suspects’ involvement.

The fatal accident occurred last Sunday when a dumper truck hit a motorcycle carrying a family, killing Mahnoor, 22, and her 14-year-old brother, Ahmed Raza. Their father, 48-year-old Shakir, sustained injuries.

Following the tragedy, transporters staged protests by blocking Rashid Minhas Road and the Superhighway near Sohrab Goth, triggering severe traffic jams.

Karachi dumper owners’ protest after fatal accident cripples traffic

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan said seven dumpers were torched near Lucky One Mall in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. Fire tenders managed to douse the flames, but the vehicles were badly damaged.

Police detained more than 30 people during raids. Six of them confessed and will be produced in court soon.

Karachi’s police chief has formed a special committee to investigate the matter. DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch will head the team comprising Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi, West SSP Tariq Illahi Mastoi and Investigation SSP Anam Tajjamul.

Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate was informed that the dumper driver involved in the accident did not hold a heavy transport vehicle (HTV) licence. The investigating officer told the court that the suspect only had a light transport vehicle (LTV) licence, which had expired in 2016. The police sought 14-day custody for further interrogation.

According to hospital records, Karachi has seen a sharp rise in road accidents involving heavy vehicles, such as dumpers and water tankers. In 2024 alone, nearly 500 people were killed and 4,879 injured in such incidents.