Four Pakistani farm workers murdered in Italy

ROME: Italian police have arrested two Pakistani nationals in connection with the killing of four Pakistani farm workers whose bodies were discovered inside a burnt-out minivan in southern Italy, according to a report by Corriere della Sera cited by Dawn on Tuesday.

The vehicle was found at a petrol station near the village of Amendolara in the Calabria region, a large agricultural area in the south of the country. Firefighters recovered the bodies after extinguishing the blaze.

Corriere della Sera, citing law enforcement sources, reported that CCTV footage from the petrol station showed two people blocking the van’s doors from the outside before throwing liquid inside. The footage then showed a fire starting and the two suspects fleeing the scene.

Local police chief Antonio Borelli was quoted by Corriere della Sera as saying: "This is definitely murder, we just have to work out the details."

The newspaper also reported that there had been 14 cases in recent months in which cars and minivans carrying Pakistanis were set on fire in the area. The incidents had taken place against a backdrop of tensions among migrants over the distribution of farm work, residence papers and accommodation.