A 12-year-old boy was killed on Friday morning after being run over by a water tanker in Korangi’s 100 Quarters Bengali Para, in yet another incident highlighting the city’s worsening traffic negligence.
Police said the accident occurred near the main market when a water tanker hit 12-year-old Farhan, son of Noor. The child died on the spot, and his body was later moved to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
A large crowd gathered shortly after the incident and attempted to surround the tanker, but the police arrived and arrested the driver. Farhan, the youngest of eight siblings and a student at a local madrassa, had been playing outside as schools were closed. Witnesses said he had rented a bicycle and was returning it to a nearby shop when the accident happened.
A speeding motorcycle lightly clipped Farhan’s bicycle, causing him to lose balance and fall. As he hit the ground, the rear tyres of the passing water tanker ran over him, killing him on the spot.
A newly surfaced CCTV video confirmed that Farhan crossed the front portion of the tanker but slipped near the rear wheels. The footage showed the tanker driver stopping immediately as people rushed toward the scene. Some enraged residents attempted to assault the driver and set the tanker on fire, but the police intervened and took the driver into custody and seized the vehicle.
Residents claimed the tanker was not speeding and blamed severe congestion and encroachments in the market for narrowing the road, calling it a major contributing factor. They added that similar accidents had occurred on the same road in the past.
After medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to the family. The police said further investigations were underway, including verification of the tanker’s registration, and the driver’s age and licence.
