GUJAR KHAN: Two stepsons, a stepdaughter and the third wife of a trader have been arrested on the charge of killing him in the limits of Jatli police about two weeks ago.

Subdivisonal Police Officer (SDPO) Rana Mahmoodul Hassan told reporters that Raja Shakeel Mirza, a trader and property dealer, was found shot dead in his bedroom in the early hours of Sept 24.

The third wife of the deceased and her two sons and daughter were present in the house at the time of the incident. They had told the police that some unidentified persons shot Mirza dead when he was asleep.

Yasir Mirza, the younger brother of the victim, got an FIR registered against the unidentified killers.

However, Sub-Inspector (SI) Israr Hussain from the Heinous Crime Investigation Unit (HIU) unearthed the shocking details of the murder.

The investigation showed that the third wife of Mirza was living at his house with her three children from her previous deceased husband.

On suspicion, the police interrogated the woman and her daughter.

The woman’s daughter stated that her stepfather had been subjecting her to sexual assault as a result of which she became pregnant many times and underwent abortions.

She said she had given birth to a baby girl which was handed over by her stepfather to his cousin in Lahore.

She alleged that one night her brothers and mother witnessed Mirza sexually assaulting her and decided to get rid of him.

The trader’s wife told police that a 30-bore pistol was purchased by her son, and the man was then shot dead in his sleep.

The SI said a DNA test of the illegitimate baby and the deceased would be carried out to verify the statement of the woman.

The police have arrested the four suspects and recovered the weapon used in the crime.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024