Pakistan: Youth missing after explosion in Karachi drain found dead

Karachi [Pakistan], August 27 (ANI): The body of a youth, who was missing since an explosion in a drain in Karachi’s Lasbela Chowk area, has been found, Dawn reported citing police. 

As per the police, the body found on Saturday was identified as a 22-year-old employee of a courier company, TCS. 

The body was taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, where doctors confirmed that the victim died from the “impact of the explosion” in the drain, Station House Officer (SHO) of Soldier Bazaar police station Pir Shabbir Haider told Dawn.com.

Eight people were injured and the TCS employee was declared ‘missing’ after Friday’s explosion, purportedly due to the accumulation of gases, police said.

“Police launched a search operation to trace him with the help of divers and he was found dead inside the drain near Patel Para on Saturday morning,” the SHO added.

Google Maps show that Patel Para is a 10-minute walk from Lasbela Chowk, where the explosion occurred, reported Dawn.

SHO Haider said the deceased had left his office to get some currency exchanged when the explosion occurred and he fell into the drain due to its impact.

“He was the only son of his parents, and his father is a rickshaw driver,” he added.

According to the SHO, the number of injured in the explosion could have increased to 200-300 as it took place in a busy commercial area. But it occurred at a time when the majority of the shopkeepers had gone to offer Friday’s prayer due to which only a handful of people were affected, he told Dawn on Friday.

The initial probe revealed the explosion took place due to an accumulation of gases inside the stormwater drain.

Meanwhile, East-Senior Superintendent of Police Zubair Nazeer Shaikh said police were waiting for the final report from the bomb disposal squad to determine the exact cause of the explosion, according to Dawn.

Some vehicles, furniture, and kitchen items of an eatery were also damaged in the incident.