JALALABAD (PAN): One person was killed, some were injured and several others fell unconscious in a stampede during the distribution of cash assistance at the governor’s house in eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday morning.
Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the governor’s spokesman, said thousands of poor families appeared early morning and scrambled to enter the governor’s house when the stampede occurred.
He said one person was killed and another wounded in the incident. “The deceased is a 72 years old man, who died after others stepped on him.”
Abdulzai said Governor Gul Agha Sherzai had so far distributed 40 million Pakistani rupees and afghanis to poor families.
A disabled, Mir Hassan, whose wheelchair was broken during the stampede, said he sustained slight injuries in the incident.
He claimed the stampede occurred when the governor’s guards opened fire at people, noticing they were in much large numbers to the surprise of the organisers.
“Four other disabled also got their bicycles broken,” he said, accusing the event organisors of ill-planning.
Munib, who received injuries at many parts of his body, said the guards opened fire after some people tried to get the assistance first and breached the discipline.
As the guards started hitting people with the butts of their guns, many falling women and children were trampled by others under their feet, he said.
He said the number of those taken to hospital was known, but there were several others who walked themselves to hospital for treatment of their injuries.
A shocked son of the deceased tore apart his clothes while lamenting over his father’s body. “Rs500 assistance claimed the life of my father. The governor instead of helping us ruined our life,” he said.
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