Six girl students were injured on Wednesday after the motorcycle rickshaw they were riding over turned on Sangla-Jhumra Road. The girls were on their way home from college.
Rickshaw driver Akram Ali told police that he had lost balance of the rickshaw while taking a turn. He said he had been speeding to avoid three motorcyclists who had started chasing the rickshaw the minute the girls boarded.
He said the men had been passing lewd comments at the girls.
He said he was distracted by the motorcyclists who overtook the rickshaw several times.
When the rickshaw over-turned, he said, they fled.
The injured students were taken to a nearby dispensary, from where they were discharged a few hours later.
Some residents of the area later staged a demonstration against police for failing to act against the motorcyclists.
The protesters blocked Sangla-Jhumra Road for over two hours and demanded that police act against the boys who gathered in front of girls’ colleges and schools.
The protesters dispersed after a Chak Jhumra police team visited the scene and assured them that action would be taken against the anti-social behaviour.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2013.