Two die of suffocation while cleaning sewer

BAHAWALPUR: Chishtian Municipal Committee’s two sweepers Mushtaq Masih and Atif Masih died of suffocation while cleaning choked sewer on Qazi Wala Road.

However, their third colleague Gama Masih, who fainted was pulled out from the manhole and later survived at the THQ Hospital after timely medical aid. After the death of two poor sweepers, their families and relatives started protest for registration of murder cases against chairman and vice chairman of Chishtian Municipal Committee and sanitary inspector Tariq, blaming them responsible for this unfortunate incident. Later the protesters staged a protest rally carrying sweepers’ bodies, and blocked the road outside the municipal committee and shouted slogans against MC chairman, vice chairman as well as PML-N MPA Ch Ahsan Bajwa. The protesters also closed the railway level crossing on Sugar Mills road till the filing of this report.

Meanwhile, a fire burnt as many as 50 huts in Basti Chandia near Chahcharran Sharif (Rahim Yar Khan) also killing disabled Saleem, 18, and perishing more than 15 cattle-heads, reducing tonnes of wheat, motorcycles and other valuables to ashes. Later, the Rescue 1122 fire-fighters who rushed to the spot from Khanpur controlled the fire.