SHANGLA: Shangla district police officer Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada on Friday claimed to have solved three blind murder cases and arrested all the accused, who had confessed to their crimes.

Addressing a news conference, Mr Sahibzada, who was also flanked by SP investigations Mohammad Zaman Khan, DSPs Shah Hussain Khan and Juma Rehman, said a team led by SP Zaman solved all the three cases.

He said on March 28, 2023, Arshad Ali of Maira had reported to Dandai police station that his father, Mohammad Farooq, was killed by unknown persons.

However, he said investigations revealed the complainant himself had killed his father. He said when the police lodged an FIR against him, the slain person’s brothers and sisters forgave him, hence he was released from prison.

DPO Sahibzada said after his release in November 2023, Arshad Ali went missing. He added the police formed a joint investigation team, which arrested his seven uncles and another person and interrogated them.

He said the accused confessed killing his nephew for murdering their brother, and that they had buried his body near the Indus River in Maira.

The DPO said the police registered a case under section 302 against eight persons in the case. He added seven brothers had been arrested, and the eighth person was on bail-before-arrest.

The Shangla police head said the accused stated in their statement that they had first axed and then shot dead their nephew for killing their brother, Farooq.

In another case, DPO Sahibzada said Mohammad Saqib of Shahpur reported to the police on January 21 that his younger brother, Shahid Khan, was missing. He said a police party along with locals began search, and found Shahid’s body from mountainous Asharo Sar area.

The DPO said the body was shifted to hospital for autopsy, and an FIR was lodged against unknown accused. He said the police started investigating Shahid’s friends, who had accompanied him to the forest.

Mr Sahibzada said the police arrested two accused, Imtiaz Ali and Shahid Ali, who confessed to killing Shahid Khan because he insisted going to the forest despite their requests.

The DPO and an FIR had been lodged against the two in Karora police station.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2024