The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Italian police have arrested two Pakistani nationals over the alleged killing of four migrant farm workers whose bodies were found in a burned minivan in southern Italy, the BBC reported.
The vehicle was discovered at a petrol station near a
village in the Calabria region, a major agricultural area. Firefighters
responded to the blaze around 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday and found four
bodies inside after extinguishing the flames.
Authorities said CCTV footage showed two suspects blocking
the van’s doors from the outside and pouring a liquid inside before setting it
on fire.
Italian media reported that a fifth man from Afghanistan
survived the attack after escaping through a window. He told investigators that
the victims included three Afghans and one Pakistani, all working in
agriculture.
The survivor said a dispute had arisen after the suspects
demanded money for transportation, which the victims refused to pay. He also
claimed the workers had not received wages for their work in strawberry fields,
although they were provided with food and accommodation.
Police said the suspects were arrested based on evidence
from surveillance footage.
Reports indicate that at least 14 similar arson incidents
targeting vehicles carrying Pakistani migrants have occurred in recent months
in the area, where tensions over jobs and housing have been reported.
The killings have sparked outrage in Italy. Calabria
regional president Roberto Occhiuto described the attack as “inhuman” and said
it “shakes faith in humanity.”
The Italian General Confederation of Labour union called for
urgent action to address what it described as the harsh conditions faced by
migrant workers in rural areas.
