SIALKOT: Daska police have arrested a youth for killing five persons of his family, including his parents, by setting them ablaze in city’s Muhammadpura locality 18 days ago.

Sialkot District Police Officer Capt retired Mustansar Feroz told media that accused Ali Hamza (25) was annoyed with his family for taunting him for his bad habits and addiction.

Hamza told police that he had set ablaze his family by sprinkling kerosene oil on them when they were in their sleeps on the night between April 21 and 22 and then staged a drama of house fire caused by flames of burning coil kept in an earthen pot to get rid of mosquitoes.

His father Muhammad Ashraf and mother Yasmeen Bibi had died on the spot while sisters Sobia and Fauzia and brother Haider succumbed to their burns at the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, a few days later.

His minor sister Harram Shehzadi and brother Ali Raza were still fighting for lives there at the Mayo.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2020