HYDERABAD: A worker of a private firm was killed while a couple of others, including a woman, were injured in a clash with the police when the workers protested and threw stones at the firm’s office against the non-payment of six-month salaries late on Monday night.

The workers also staged a protest sit-in on the Kotri railway track near the railway crossing for almost six hours from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday and railway traffic was terribly affected during the protest.

The workers of the private firm, Dewan Khalid Textile Mill in Kotri, protested on Tuesday evening against non-payment of six-month salaries. During the protest, they became violent and threw stones at the administration office of the firm. The firm’s administrative staff called the police which baton-charged the protesters to control them.

Some of the workers were injured and later, a worker, Latif Brohi, 18, son of Azeem Brohi, was killed allegedly by police firing, according to the protesters.

They then staged a protest demonstration on the railway track carrying the body of the deceased Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Munawar Ali Mahesar reached the spot and assured the protesters of justice and payment of their outstanding salaries. The protesters called off the sit-in and dispersed.

Talking to Dawn on phone, the DC said he asked workers to come to his office on Thursday where the Jamshoro SSP, mill owners or administration staff, heirs of the deceased and workers would attend a meeting to resolve the issue.

He quoted the workers as saying that the worker was allegedly killed by police firing at around 3am. He said the Jamshoro SSP rejected this claim as the boy was killed one kilometre away from the mill.