Woman kills three daughters, attempts self-immolation
A woman allegedly slit the throats of her three minor daughters and attempted self-immolation at her house in Haranpur village in the outskirts of Pind Dadan Khan in district Jhelum on Saturday.
Police said that the woman named Yasmeen Fatima set herself on fire after killing her daughters. The girls were identified as five-year-old Zoya, three-year-old Faiza, and two-year-old Jannat.
Yasmeen was rushed to a Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Pind Dadan Khan in critical condition. Later, she was referred to District Headquarter Hospital Jhelum.
Police said that Yasmeen took this extreme step in the absence of her husband, Faiz Rasool, who is a rickshaw driver. They added that she was being treated at the facility under their custody.
A case has been registered on behalf of Yasmeen’s mother-in-law, Rukhsana Kausar.
According to the FIR, Rukhsana said that her son Faiz Rasool came to her house next door in the morning and asked for breakfast. When asked why he hadn’t eaten at home, he said that he had an argument last night with his wife, so she did not prepare breakfast. Rukhsana added that she gave Faiz breakfast, after which he left for work.
Later at around 8:30am, she asked her other son, Usman Ali, to go see why the children were still asleep. Usman went to Faiz’s house and despite repeated knocks, Yasmeen did not open the door, so he broke it down. He saw flames coming out from a room where Yasmeen was severely burnt, while in the other room the girls lay in pools of their own blood. They were already dead.
Taking notice of the incident, Punjab IG Roa Sardar Ali Khan sought a report from RPO Rawalpindi. He directed Jhleum DPO to look into all aspects and submit him a report.
The police have started an investigation into the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 2nd, 2022.