2 Pakistanis Arrested in Italy for Burning Alive 4 Migrant Farm Workers in a Car

Italian police are investigating the deaths of four agricultural workers who were found burned inside a vehicle at a fuel station in Amendolara, in southern Italy, after surveillance footage reportedly showed the moment of the incident.

According to investigators from the Cosenza Mobile Squad, CCTV footage from the petrol station appears to confirm suspicions that the victims were set on fire rather than killed accidentally.

The video reportedly shows two individuals blocking the vehicle’s doors from outside before flammable liquid is allegedly poured inside and a fire is ignited, followed by a large explosion and the suspects fleeing the scene.

Two Pakistani nationals have been placed under detention by the Prosecutor’s Office in Castrovillari in connection with the case.

The decision followed lengthy questioning at the Cosenza police headquarters, after the suspects were initially stopped in Villapiana.

Authorities said the breakthrough in the investigation came after reviewing surveillance recordings from the service station along the SS106 Jonica highway, where the incident occurred.

Firefighters were initially called to contain a large blaze near fuel pumps, with concerns that the fire could spread to underground fuel tanks. Once the flames were extinguished, emergency crews discovered the charred remains of four individuals inside a burned-out van.

Investigators confirmed that the victims were migrant agricultural workers. A surviving witness, an Afghan national, told local media that three of the victims were Afghan and one was Pakistani.

He alleged that the confrontation stemmed from a dispute over money demanded for transport services.

According to his account, the suspects demanded payment, which the victims refused to provide, after which flammable liquid was allegedly used inside the vehicle before it was set on fire.

The survivor reportedly escaped by breaking a window and sustained burn injuries.

Authorities are also examining whether the victims were already deceased before the fire fully engulfed the vehicle.

Police have not ruled out additional forms of violence before the blaze, including the possibility of gunfire, although no confirmed forensic findings have been released regarding bullet wounds.

The investigation, coordinated by the Castrovillari Prosecutor’s Office, is also examining possible links to broader conflicts within migrant labor networks operating in agricultural zones across Calabria and surrounding regions.

Officials said the case remains under active investigation as forensic analysis continues and CCTV evidence is further reviewed.

Via Corriere Della Sera