BAHAWALPUR: A murder convict released on bail by the high court was killed by his rivals here on Tuesday at Dohatta in Lodhran city police precincts.

Muhammad Ramzan told the media that his brother Sadiq and his son Muhammad Nazik had been sentenced to death by a sessions court for the murder of Bashir Ahmed, father of four suspects Akbar, Sakhi, Alf Din and Ashraf. The suspects nurtured a grudge against Sadiq after his release from jail on bail granted by the high court.

Ramzan said on Monday night he and Sadiq were watering their lands when the four brothers ambushed them under the cover of darkness and allegedly kidnapped Sadiq. Despite Ramzan filing an FIR for the abduction, the police did not recover Sadiq and his mutilated body was found in the fields of Darkhaniwala. Ramzan accused the Lodhran police of negligence, saying timely police action could have saved his brother’s life.

Rescue 1122 media coordinator Safdar Malik said on an emergency call the body of an unidentified man whose face was beyond recognition and was badly crushed, was found in the fields of Darkhaniwali on Tuesday. It appeared that body’s face and head were crushed with clubs and sharp-edged weapons.

The body was shifted to Lodhran DHQ hospital.

The police spokesman said Sadiq had been released on bail by the high court. He stated that following Ramzan’s complaint, an abduction case had been registered and the police conducted a search for Sadiq. The abduction FIR has now been converted into a murder case, and police are conducting raids to arrest the four suspects.

In a separate incident, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), led by a civil judge, arrested Waqar Khan, a canal department officer, for allegedly accepting bribe from complainant Allah Ditta for the improvement of canal water supply to his lands but failed to provide the service.

BODY RETRIEVED: The body of a 13-year-old girl, Eaman Bibi, who drowned in the Shashmahi Canal on Yazman Road on Monday evening, was retrieved on Tuesday after a search of over 12 hours by Rescue 1122 divers.

According to police and rescuers, the girl was taking a bath with her family members when she drowned. Owing to poor visibility, the divers had to abandon the search in the canal on Monday night.

The body has been handed over to the family.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2024