Drastic step: Three people commit suicide in Hazara

Retired policeman among deceased

ABBOTABAD: At least three people, including a retired policeman, committed suicide in separate incidents in Hazara on Wednesday.

A man shot himself in the temple with a pistol in Mohallah Nogazi, Mansehra. A police official told The Express Tribune, 26-year-old Rashid was the son of Muhammad Aslam. He had developed differences with his wife and she decided to move back to her house in Mohallah Chikiya.

“Tuesday night, Rashid visited his wife and asked her to come back home,” the official said. “However, his wife refused and asked him for a divorce.”

According to the official, the 26-year-old was deeply disturbed by this request. “Rashid shot himself on the spot,” he said. “He was rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.”

The second incident was reported from Ballah village in Sirikot union council in Mansehra.

Awais Khan, 20, shot himself in the chest. He died on the spot. The reason behind the incident remains unknown.

A case has been registered and investigation is under way. A retired policeman was said to have committed suicide in Khokhar Maira village, Abbottabad. The deceased has been identified as 60-year-old Safiur Rehman.

According to a police official, his family members said Rehman went to bed on Tuesday night. “When they went to his room to wake him for breakfast, they found his body hanging from the ceiling fan,” the official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st,  2016.