Man fatally shoots ‘estranged’ wife in front of daughter

Police manage to arrest suspect within few hours of incident

RAWALPINDI:

A man fatally shot his wife in the presence of their children near the Chakri Road area within the limits of Dhamiyal Police Station. The entire incident was captured by a CCTV camera, the footage of which has been obtained by the police.

The assailant, who fled the scene following the murder, was arrested by the police within a few hours. The chilling CCTV footage reveals the accused intercepting his wife as she walks along the street with her daughter. The accused then brandishes a pistol and fires the first shot, causing the woman to collapse on the ground. The couple’s daughter attempts to wrest the pistol from her father, but he forces her to flee while brandishing the weapon. Meanwhile, the injured woman, lying on the ground, pleads for help. However, the accused fires additional shots and makes his escape.

The police have arrested the accused, Muhammad Siddiq, on charges of killing his wife. According to police, the retrieved CCTV footage serves as clear and compelling evidence against the accused.

Also read: Man ‘stages wife’s murder’ as suicide

City Police Officer (CPO), Khalid Hamdani, took immediate notice of the woman’s murder in the Dhamiyal area and instructed the SHO of Dhamiyal Police Station to immediately trace and arrest the suspect. In a few hours, the police located him and took him into custody.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the deceased, Phool Bibi, had been residing at her sister’s house following an estrangement with her husband, Siddiq. Yesterday, she was en route to her sister’s residence from the market, when her husband intercepted and gunned her down. Sources said the two had had a strong discord. The police said the accused will be presented at the court with strong evidence along with the challan.

Following post-mortem, the police handed over the body to the deceased’s family. A murder case has been registered against the accused, who is scheduled to appear in court today for a physical remand.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2023.