A 17-year-old student was crushed to death Tuesday while returning home after appearing in her matric examination. Her brother was also seriously injured after a speeding water tanker hit their motorcycle in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, police and witnesses said.

The deceased, Saba, was the daughter of Manzoor Shah, a resident of Block 12, Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

Narrating the tragedy, Saba’s paternal uncle, Mushtaq Shah, said that, at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, she was on her way home on a bike with her brother Rizwan who had accompanied her to the examination centre in Mosmiyat area. When they reached Kamran Chowrangi, a 14-wheeler water tanker (No. TLJ-154) hit their motorcycle (No. LOG-5668). Saba slipped off the bike and fell under the wheels of the tanker. She died on the spot. Meanwhile, Rizwan slipped off and fell on the other side. He was seriously injured.

Both of them were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). The family was informed later. On hearing the news, Saba’s mother reportedly fainted, while her father rushed to the hospital and collected the body of his young daughter.

The funeral prayers for the deceased were conducted after Isha. The family’s financial condition is not very sound Rizwan (who was injured in the accident) is the sole bread-earner. He worked at a private firm as a supervisor. His father, Manzoor Shah, is old and

retired.

Angry eyewitnesses caught the offending tanker driver and started beating him up. In the course of this drubbing, a man came with some liquid and told the mob to throw the driver inside the tanker and set both on fire. The police arrived in time, however, and the man was rescued.

The police immediately extinguished the fire and took the tanker and the driver to the police station. The mob followed them, and demanded strict action against the driver. The people dispersed after they were assured of action by the SHO Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Barakullah. He said that the driver, Safdar (son of Muhammad Hussain) had been arrested and a case had been registered. —SBP