Karachi: Police file 10 more cases of Keamari 'toxic gas' deaths

KARACHI: Police has registered 10 more cases of deaths allegedly caused by toxic gas in Ali Muhammad Goth, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Mochko police station on the court’s order, contacted families of victims and registered cases, police officials said. “Relatives of the deceased have been made complainant in cases,” officials said.

“The cases have been registered under manslaughter and relevant sections of law,” according to officials.

“The owners of illegally established factories in Ali Muhammad Goth of Keamari district, have been nominated in cases,” police said.

Overall number of these cases have reached to 11.

“Several re-cycling factories are illegally working in the area emitting hazardous smoke, stinking smell and environmental pollution,” complainants said. “The pollution have hazardous impact over public health in the area causing diseases and death,” according to the complaint.

The complainants have demanded action against factory owners over deaths caused by their negligence.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday heard the case pertaining to deaths by alleged toxic gas in Keamari port area.

At least 14 deaths had been reported in February 2020, whereas more than 300 patients complained about having breathing problem in the Keamari and hospitalised amid offloading of a consignment of soybean cargo from a ship.

“How many people have died in recent incidents,” Chief Justice questioned the IG Police. “Overall, 18 people have died in these incidents,” police chief replied. “Why cases were not registered of all 18 deaths,” the top judge further asked. “The police had registered cases if people come with their complaints,” police officer replied.

“It was responsibility of the SHO to file the case of deaths on behalf of the state,” Chief Justice Sindh said. “Why the police wait for an application for case registration,” he questioned. “How could the cause of deaths come to surface without inquiry,” the judge further remarked.

“People would die regularly without any notice. Postmortem of each body is necessary, how could you close a case without autopsy of a body,” chief justice further questioned. “How you are investigating, there are many deaths but only one postmortem,” Justice Yousaf Ali Saeed remarked.

“The state should be complainant in such cases and the case should be registered even the affected party fails to appear,” the court ordered.