Polio worker slaughtered in Lakki Marwat

A local youth, associated with the polio vaccination campaign, was found murdered near his home in Farid Khel Betani village in the remote area of Lakki Marwat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the local police said on Thursday.

Azad Khel Betani police station head Ismail Khan said that the victim Ghaniullah, 20, was missing since Wednesday evening.

“He was serving as an observer in the anti-polio programme and had performed his duties in the polio campaign. In the evening, he left his house and did not return,” Ismail added.

According to the police, the family searched for the whereabouts of Ghaniullah throughout the night. However, in the morning, his body was found at a distance of about 400 metres from his house. He had multiple stab wounds on his body and his throat was slit with a sharp-edged weapon, they added.

Also read: Lakki Marwat, DI Khan launch polio drive

Awami National Party leader Akhtar Gul Betani said that Ghaniullah was the son of a well-respected social worker, adding that the murder had created panic in the area.

Later, the locals staged a protest, demanding arrest of the perpetrators.

Senior district administration officials reached the area and the protest was called off after a written agreement between the officials. The police assured the villagers that the killers would be arrested within three days.