Italy Arrests Two Pakistanis After Four Migrant Farm Workers Found Burned to Death

Rome-Italian police have arrested two Pakistani nationals in connection with the killing of four Pakistani farm workers whose bodies were discovered inside a burned-out minivan in southern Italy, according to media reports citing law enforcement sources.

The victims were found after firefighters extinguished a vehicle fire at a petrol station near the village of Amendolara in Calabria, a major agricultural region that employs large numbers of migrant laborers.

Investigators are treating the case as a homicide after surveillance footage reportedly showed two individuals blocking the vehicle’s doors from the outside before pouring a liquid into the van and setting it alight. The footage then showed flames engulfing the vehicle as the suspects fled the scene, according to Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Firefighters discovered the four bodies inside the minivan after bringing the blaze under control. Authorities have not publicly released the identities of the victims.

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

The arrests come amid broader concerns over tensions within migrant communities working in Calabria’s agricultural sector. According to the newspaper, the area has recorded 14 arson incidents involving cars and minivans used by Pakistani migrants in recent months.

Investigators are examining whether the killings were linked to disputes over access to seasonal farm work, residency documentation, or accommodation, issues that have periodically generated friction among migrant workers in the region.

Calabria’s agricultural industry relies heavily on foreign labor, with migrant workers often employed in seasonal harvesting and farm-related activities across the region’s extensive farming districts.

Authorities have not disclosed additional details regarding the motive for the attack as the investigation continues.