REGGIO CALABRIA – A violent incident at a petrol station along State Road 106 ended in tragedy when a minivan carrying migrant farm workers was set on fire. Four men, three Afghans and one Pakistani, were reportedly burned alive, while one Afghan worker survived with serious injuries after escaping through a broken window.
Italian police later arrested two Pakistani men in connection with the attack, as investigations into the motive and circumstances continue. Security camera footage from the petrol station is reported by investigators to show two individuals near the minivan shortly before the fire, including actions consistent with blocking exits and the use of a flammable substance. The footage has been described by officials as central to the case.
اٹلی میں 4 پاکستانی مزدوروں کو مبینہ طور پر زندہ
جلانے درد ناک واقعہ، ویڈیو بھی منظر عام پر آ گٸی
اٹلی کے علاقے کوزنزا میں چار پاکستانی زرعی مزدوروں کو مبینہ طور پر انتہائی بے رحمی کے ساتھ زندہ جلا کر قتل کر دیا گیا، اطالوی میڈیا نے اسے پیشگی منصوبہ بندی اور سفاکیت کا بدترین… pic.twitter.com/4IgpTAedvL— Sarfraz Ali (@ItsSarfrazAli) June 2, 2026
The violent incident occured in southern Italy that left four migrant agricultural workers dead after their bodies were discovered inside burned-out minivan at a petrol station along the old stretch of State Road 106 near Amendolara, in the Calabria region.
The victims were employed in seasonal agricultural work in the Sibaritide area, a region heavily dependent on migrant labour for harvesting crops such as citrus fruits and olives.
The arrested Pakistani men are facing charges related to multiple aggravated murder. The arrests were made within approximately 36 hours of the discovery following an investigation led by police in Cosenza and coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Castrovillari. A fifth migrant worker, an Afghan national who survived the incident despite sustaining burn injuries, provided testimony to investigators and media. He said he had been living with the victims in Villapiana, a nearby agricultural town.
According to his account, the violence stemmed from a dispute over payment for transport services. He alleged that the suspects demanded money the group refused to pay, after which the situation escalated into an attack in which the minivan was set on fire. The survivor said that he escaped by breaking a window as the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Authorities are treating his account as part of the ongoing investigation.
He also described broader conditions of exploitation among migrant workers, including threats and irregular payment practices, though these claims have not yet been independently verified.
Police located and detained the two suspects later the same day in Villapiana. They were questioned at the police headquarters in Cosenza before being placed under arrest by order of prosecutors. Authorities said that the investigation remains ongoing and that further findings will be presented at a scheduled briefing in Cosenza.
The case has prompted strong reactions from Italian officials who described the incident as extremely serious, stressing that human life cannot be treated as disposable and reaffirming government efforts to combat illegal labour exploitation. Regional authorities also condemned the killings, while investigators praised the rapid coordination that led to the arrests.
The incident drawn renewed attention to working conditions in Calabria’s agricultural sector, particularly in areas such as the Sibaritide plain, where seasonal harvesting relies heavily on migrant labour from Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.
Migrants working under such arrangements often face low pay, long working hours, and deductions for transport or accommodation. Many live in informal or temporary settlements with limited access to services and remain dependent on intermediaries for access to work.
Authorities have previously attempted to address the issue through enforcement measures and labour reforms, but the system remains a persistent concern in southern Italy’s agricultural economy.
Italy to grant 10,500 work visas to Pakistani citizens as bilateral ties expand
