Key suspect in Zainab’s murder case arrested

CHARSADDA:

The Charsadda district police have arrested the prime suspect in the rape and murder of three-year-old Zainab.

The three-year-old was abducted from Charsadda a few days ago, was raped and murdered before her body was dumped in the Daudzai area of Peshawar.

A senior police official requesting anonymity confirmed to The Express Tribune that the prime suspect who is between 45 and 50-years of age, belongs to the victim's neighbourhood. The murder weapon and a shoe of the minor girl was also recovered from the suspect's possession, the official said.

The official said that they will receive the result of the DNA test today (Sunday) after which they will make an official announcement in this regard.

The medical examination of the victim revealed she was raped, after which her body was cut with a knife.

He further said the suspect after committing the crime went to see a cleric of a local mosque and shared the incident with him. The cleric then called a brother of the suspect and informed him about it, he added.

A medicine store owner who had sold some sex enhancing pills to the suspect and the mosque cleric have also been taken into custody, the official informed.

Police had formed a technical team for probing into the case on scientific grounds and had investigated as many as 385 people of the neighourhood.

The police official said, following the incident, some 35 people most of whom were close relative of the deceased had been taken into custody.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2020.