Murderous greed: Man kills six people in botched robbery

Victims include suspect’s aunt, her son, household staff

RAWALPINDI: A 19-year-old man on Wednesday morning shot dead his aunt, her son, and four members of their household helpers’ family including a toddler in Losar Sharfo in the limits of Wah Saddar Police Station. The police said he was attempting to rob them.

According to the police, Hamza shot dead his mother’s sister Fozia, 50, her son Ehtasham, 23, their servant Javaid and his wife Zareena, a relative of the servant named Fazila, and Fazila’s two-year-old granddaughter Sana. The killer also shot and injured Kalsoom Bibi – Ehtasham’s wife.

A police officer privy to the investigation said Hamza was brought up by Fauzia as Hamza’s family was in bad financial straits. He said Fauzia had also given Hamza a house and a car and would treat him like her own son.

The police officer added that at about 9:00am on Wednesday entered Fauzia’s house and shot her dead in her bedroom. Ehtasham was dropping his younger brother off at school at the time.

Kalsoom, the injured witness, was in her room and when she heard gunfire and rushed out. Hamza ordered her to give him all her cash and jewellery. When she resisted, Hamza shot her in the abdomen and started searching the house for valuables, the police officer said while quoting Kalsoom.

He further said that Kalsoom escaped from the house and went to her neighbours, who took her to THQ Hospital in Taxila. When Hamza came back and found Kalsoom missing, he went to the servant quarters and shot dead Javaid, Zarina, Fazila and Sana. In the meanwhile, Ehtasham had gotten back home. Hamza killed him as well after running into him, the police officer said.

The suspect then fled. The police officer said that the suspect used a 9mm pistol to commit the murders.

Wah SHO Yasir Kiani said that Kalsoom had nominated Hamza in the murders, listing robbery as his motive.

In response to a question, Kiani said Hamza’s mother and stepfather had gone to Mian Channu to attend a wedding ceremony.

He further said that Fouzia had divorced Ehtasham’s father a few years back and had since remarried. The child Ehtasham was dropping off at school was his three-year-old stepbrother.

He said the police were looking for the suspect and hoped to arrest him soon.

He said that Kalsoom, the injured witness, had been shifted to Rawalpindi DHQ, where she was said to be in stable condition.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2017.