Karachi, Oct 29 (PTI): An irate mob has lynched two employees of a mobile company here after rumours spread that they were kidnappers, in yet another instance of street crime that has now become a common feature in Pakistan’s commercial hub.

The incident took place on Friday afternoon in Karachi’s Machar Colony.

According to Keamari Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Fida Hussain Janwari, the deceased were visiting the low-income area, apparently, to “check an antenna for signals”.

Police said they have arrested two suspects who had allegedly instigated the mob.

“We have identified eight other people and will scan cctv cameras in the neighbourhood and interrogate witnesses to nab the other suspects,” Janwari said.

“As the two employees of a cellular were seen in the neighbourhood in their vehicle, some people started shouting and spreading rumours that they were kidnappers who had come to kidnap children,” he said.

Janwari said that the situation in the neighbourhood was tense after instances of children going missing in the recent past.

According to initial investigation conducted by the police, the mob constituted of around 500 people.

“The men had passed away when they were brought to the hospital as they had extensive injuries and their skulls had multiple fractures. There were multiple bruises of varying sizes and severity all over the bodies and multiple fractures in the skull vault,” Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed.

Syed said the post-mortem examination of the two mobile company employees were completed, and they had injury marks on their swollen faces and bodies.

Street crimes have been rampant in Karachi, and in recent times, authorities have tried to systematically quell this menace, but they have met with little or no success.

In February this year, Pakistan’s former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had suggested posting paramilitary rangers at the city’s police station to curb this menace, while Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had directed police officials to undertake strict patrolling, the Dawn newspaper had reported.

In March this year, Shah said that there were at least 7,500 offenders involved in street crimes roaming in Karachi. PTI CORR VM VM

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)