Decapitated head found in canal could be of missing woman

Hina Janjua was reported missing on May 13 by her family

HYDERABAD: The decapitated head of a married woman who was reported missing on May 13 was found floating in a canal in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The slain woman, whose face was bloated beyond recognition, was identified with the help of her earrings. She was identified as 26-year-old Hina Janjua.

The police have detained her husband, Adnan Lodhi, whom she married over a year ago while her parents accuse her in-laws of the alleged murder.

However, SP Zahida Parveen told The Express Tribune on Wednesday that the police will lodge an FIR after completing initial investigations.

"Hina's parents have complained that her mother-in-law and sisters in law often quarrelled with her but they have no grievances against her husband," she said, adding that it is still too early for police investigators to reach a definitive conclusion.



On Wednesday, DNA samples from the head and the woman's father, Muhammad Siddiq Janjua, were sent to the DNA lab of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro. The purpose was to scientifically establish that the head is actually that of Hina, whom her in-laws and parents both reported missing on May 13 at the Baldia police station.

The Lodhi family lives in the Ghumanabad area along the Pinyari Canal in Hyderabad while the Janjua family lives in Mirpurkhas district. The recently wed couple did not have any children.

The SP said the police have still not found the sharp object with which she was killed nor could her body be traced. "We have assumed the location from where her head was found as the crime scene," she said, adding that the place where she was killed has not been located as yet.

The police also found a torn burqa and dupatta with dark spots of a substance like grease near the head. Lodhi reported to the police on May 13 that his wife took away the jewellery that she had brought in her dowry besides Rs20,000 cash when she left. But, he added that she left her both mobile phones at home.



The SP said the police was informed by Lodhi in his initial complaint that his family found out that Hina along with the jewellery and cash was missing around 6pm on May 13. However, SP Parveen said the police canvassed the neighbourhood but no one saw the woman leaving her home around that time. The police are also checking the call data records of the couple.