Four agricultural workers killed in Cosenza: two arrested
In the Crotone area, four labourers were found dead inside a burning car. Two young men from Pakistan have been taken into custody.
Four agricultural workers killed in Cosenza: two arrested
On Monday afternoon, firefighters were called to extinguish a fire that broke out at a service station along the former route of the SS106 in the Crotone area. Once the flames were put out, four bodies, now unrecognisable, were found inside a car. The victims were all people with regular status in the country, with no previous criminal records.
Within a few hours, officers from Cosenza's Mobile squad identified and arrested two suspects: both males, both aged 31, both born in Pakistan. The arrest warrant was issued by the investigating magistrate of the Castrovillari court.
From recordings of the security camera system at the service station, it emerges that the two arrested men allegedly first locked the car doors from outside, then poured — through the rear window — a highly flammable substance. The act triggered an explosion of fire from which it was impossible to escape.
The spark that led to the tragedy appears to have been a scuffle that occurred that morning between one of the victims and one of the two arrested men. According to witnesses, the workers had protested over the lack of payment (in arrears since April) and over disastrous living conditions: ten people forced to share a single room. A colleague who escaped the tragedy spoke of a request for contract regularisation.
During the dispute, one of the two suspects allegedly suffered facial swelling. Later, the second man allegedly contacted the police to report the brawl, probably as a diversionary move.
At the validation hearing, both remained silent, repeating what they had already done during questioning by the prosecutor. The commander of Cosenza police station, Antonio Borelli, commented: "We managed to identify those responsible in just over three hours. It is a source of satisfaction in the face of a tragedy that has left us speechless."
The chief prosecutor of Castrovillari, Alessandro D'Alessio, explained that investigations into the broader context — including the possible presence of labour recruiters — are continuing, whilst for now attention has focused on identifying those who carried out the deed.
Source: RaiNews
Source: Google News IT — Crime (it)