KARACHI: One protesting vendor died while a woman officer and a few policemen received injuries as an anti-encroachment drive at Empress Market on Thursday afternoon turned violent.

The violence triggered traffic jams on major arteries in Saddar, causing immense inconvenience to people.

According to SSP South Sarfraz Nawaz Shaikh, the anti-encroachment operation was carried out under supervision of the assistant commissioner (AC) Saddar and DMC South team backed by police.

As they started removing pushcarts and seized their goods, the vendors resisted and started pelting stones, resulting in injuries to AC Ms Sara Javed and three policemen.

More policemen, who were called in for reinforcement after the violence, resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters who had blocked the road at Empress Market.

During the baton charge, a protester identified as Maroof Haji became unconscious and died allegedly due to torture, according to the protesters.

But the SSP South said that apparently there were no torture marks on his body.

The officer opined that the person died due to “natural death/heart attack/heatstroke”.

He said the post-mortem examination of the body would be conducted and legal action would be taken accordingly if it transpired that he died due to torture.

Meanwhile, Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) said they received one body from Empress Market at the hospital. Apparently, there were no torture marks. The body was shifted to the mortuary to ascertain exact cause of death.

She said AC Sara Javed sustained minor injuries. She was discharged after first aid.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has taken notice of the injuries to the AC and “killing of one person due to alleged torture” and sought a detailed report from DIG South Azad Khan, said a spokesperson.