Sindh

Police record statement of Effendi’s widow

Phones stolen from deceased's residence were last switched on in Central district, say cops

Our Correspondent January 11, 2021

Law enforcers in the metropolis have also been directed to remain vigilant and take measure to avoid such an attack. PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI:

The police recorded on Sunday the detailed statement of the widow of Zain Effendi, a descendant of the Sindh Madrassahtul Islam University's founder Hassanally Effendi, who was shot dead at his residence last week.

Effendi was killed by men who had barged into his house, held his family hostage and taken off with two mobile phones, cash, jewelry and other valuables. They had shot Effendi when he had put up resistance.

According to the police, the deceased's wife, Aneeqa, told them that the perpetrators were whispering to each other while shifting Effendi to another room from his bedroom. She, however, couldn't hear them.

Aneeqa said the robbers had tied Effendi's limbs and fled after killing him.

Following that, Aneeqa added, she called their driver but he didn't answer the call, probably because it was too early in the morning. She said she then called her mother-in-law and informed the police of the incident on Madadgar-15 helpline.

According to Aneeqa, the robbers spoke to each other in Urdu and were dressed in shalwar kameez.

They took away Effendi's mobile phone, she said.

According to the police, the stolen mobile phones were last switched on in Central district.

They said they had also acquired CCTV footage of the incident, in which four men were seen approaching Effendi's residence in a white Corolla.

Besides, they said the geo-fencing of the crime scene was completed on the day of the incident so that call detail records of the killers' phones could be sought.

Meanwhile, sources affiliated with the police, on the condition of anonymity, revealed to The Express Tribune that initial investigation suggested that the killers of Effendi had deliberately tried to make the murder look like a robbery.

The sources said the police would soon record the statements of Effendi's other family members and his domestic staff.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2021.