KOHAT: The mystery shrouding the death of a rich Indian origin woman in her house here, has been resolved as a police inquiry has concluded that the victim was murdered by her in-laws for money. The victim, Aisha, had married a man from Kohat in Dubai.

A statement issued from the office of the district police officer Mohammad Sohaib Ashraf on Wednesday said four accused, including two women, who were close relatives of the Aisha’s husband, were involved in the crime. It said that the culprits had been arrested who admitted to having murdered her and distributed the booty equally.

Aisha, who was a Sikh, had reportedly converted to Islam some 14 years back in Dubai when she married Abdul Wahid who worked there. It was a love marriage, sources said.

Police say Aisha was murdered by her in-laws for money

They came to Pakistan and her husband lodged her in his house situated in posh KDA Township. They had a son and two daughters, all school going, said the police statement.

The police after a four-day inquiry reached the accused Habibullah, Shafqat, his wife Aini and Surayya Bibi. It is to mention here that a medical report has already declared the death as a suicide.

They were traced by an investigation team headed by DSP headquarters Abdul Rasheed Bangash, which also recovered the pistol used in the crime and a gun with cartridges.

Mr Bangash had earlier told Dawn that although medical report had termed it a suicide he got suspicious when the women, who gave Aisha the last bath, told police during interrogation that they had seen marks of torture on her body when her husband was abroad.

Initially, the police did not know that cash and jewellery were also missing from her house, but they were informed by Aisha’s husband about it when he was called to Pakistan for inquiry.

It was learnt during the course of the inquiry that accused Habibullah and his companions had forcibly occupied the house of Abdul Wahid which was handed over to the real owner after years-long litigation due to which Habibullah was very annoyed.

As Aisha was a rich woman belonging to a family in gold business in Dubai and was given dowry worth millions of rupees at her marriage, Habibullah planned to rob her of the wealth as she lived in her house alone.

He along with his companions visited her house on July 28, and after sometime they asked her to hand over all jewellery and cash to them, otherwise they would kill her. She acted as ordered and gave away everything to them.

But the accused thought that Aisha might tell others about them, therefore, they shot her in the head. She died on the spot. Later, they put the pistol in her hands to give the impression that she had committed suicide.

Aisha’s husband told media that he was sure from the day one that his wife had not committed suicide because they had been living happily and that there was no other reason which could have forced her to take her life. Moreover, cash and gold was also missing from the home.

Police have registered a murder case against all the four accused and launched further investigations.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2016