General frustration in impoverished Machhar Colony termed major factor in tragic lynching

In its report on the lynching incident of two men in Machhar Colony, the fact-finding committee of the Sindh human rights department declared that the tragic incident took place due to ‘mistaken identity’.

The committee submitted its report on Monday. On October 28, two employees of a telecommunication company — 31-year-old Muhammad Ishaq Panhwar and 28-year-old Muhammad Ayman — were brutally murdered by a mob in Machhar Colony that stoned them to death on suspicion that they were robbers.

As videos of the incident went viral on social media, it created widespread anger across the country. Law enforcers arrested several persons in connection with the case. Special Assistant to the Sindh Chief Minister on Human Rights Surendar Valasai constituted the fact-finding committee to ascertain what led to the lynching as well as recommend measures to stop such incidents in the future. The four-member fact-finding committee was led by renowned actor and rights activist Ayub Khoso, and its other members were Kashif Bajeer, Advocate Syed Mahmood Alam Shah and Advocate Shakira Siddiqui.

Findings

The report said the murders were not premeditated and the men were lynched due to mistaken identity as rumours had spread that they had come to the area to kidnap children. However, the case of mistaken identity did not justify the gruesome act of lynching, the committee stated.

The report pointed out that Machhar Colony was an impoverished area where literary rate was low. “Due to severe poverty, most young people either fall victim to drug addiction or become members of criminal outfits,” the report read. It stated that the area had a high crime index, due to which people were suspicious of strangers. Moreover, harassment of young girls and street mugging were also common in the locality.

According to the report, the mob gathered on the basis of rumours and released their frustration by beating the victims. It read that such incidents had been on the rise in society and they should be a matter of grave concern for the law enforcers and government.

The fact-finding committee, however, also pointed out that the lynched men did not comply with general SOPs that telecommunication workers generally adhere to. They were neither wearing uniform nor any card that would reflect their job and the company they were working for. Similarly, there was no logo on the vehicle that could indicate that the men were employees of a telecommunication company.

Their company had also not provided them proper training in working out in the field. The report read that the nearest police station was 15 kilometres away from the crime site.

Recommendations

The committee has made various recommendations in its report, including immediate arrest of the accused, fair trial and strict punishment to the perpetrators according to the law.

The report recommended that as the police station was far away from the area, a police post should be established in Machhar Colony so that in case of such incidents or other crimes, cops could reach the scene in minimum time. The committee urged the Sindh government to implement the rule of law and take measures to reduce intolerance in society.

It also stressed the need for registration of slums as well as illegal immigrants living there, and providing basic amenities to them. According to the committee, there should be strict action against those involved in spreading false rumours by using social media platforms.

The report read that all private companies sending their employees out in such areas should inform the nearby police stations about their interventions. The companies should also train their employees in job-specific safety practices, and ensure that their logo and helpline or complaint number are visible on their official vehicles.

Police investigation

Based on its interviews of police officials, the committee stated that actual culprits had been arrested with the help of evidence. Police said the victims had gone to Machhar Colony to check mobile networking signals in the area.

After reaching there, they asked some information from children. They also purchased some food items forthe children from a shop. The culprits assumed them as kidnapers and started shouting and beating them. A prayer leader in the area, Khalil Ahmed, who was falsely accused of calling a mob through loudspeaker, had in fact tried to intervene and save the two men, police officials explained.

The prayer leader tried to take the two men into his room. Two police personnel who were in the area for the protection of anti-polio workers also tried to save them. They also fired to disperse the crowd but they themselves were injured by the mob.

Residents’ viewpoint

Some residents told the committee that the two men drove the vehicle forward and backward, which made people suspicious. They said the victims called some children to get information of the area, which was observed by women nearby who started shouting that the victims were child kidnappers. Initially, a few drug addicts and boys in the area start beating the victims, after which more people joined them who eventually killed them.