In a stampede at a Ramadan food distribution center in Pakistan’s Karachi on Friday, at least eight women and three children died. This was because the people waiting for their turn became frightened and started pushing each other.
According to the Associated Press, some of the victims fell into a nearby drain while a wall collapsed, injuring and killing people in the stampede. Videos of the incident circulated on social media, showing a swarm of slippers near a flooded pathway at the accident site while emergency personnel assessed the situation. An ambulance and locals were seen at the accident site in one of the videos.
Following today’s incident, the number of people killed in stampedes at free food distribution centers across the country has risen to at least 21 since last week. According to a police official, the factory owner who organized the food distribution center did not notify the police of the plan.
People had gathered since the morning to collect the free food, according to a local resident who lives near the factory, and he does not know what caused the incident, but “we heard cries and later learned about this stampede.”
The fatal incident occurred a day after authorities mandated the deployment of extra police at the Ramadan food distribution centers to prevent risky crowding.
