Woman hacked to death by mother-in-law, relatives

Suspects stuff victim's dismembered body in three gunny bags

DASKA:

A woman, assisted by her daughter and other relatives, murdered her pregnant daughter-in-law, dismembered her body, and disposed of the remains in a local drain.

The gruesome incident took place in the Motra area, under the jurisdiction of the Daska police station, revealing a harrowing case of violence within a household.

The victim, identified as Zara, was the daughter of Shabbir Ahmed, a police officer (ASI) residing in Gujranwala.

Zara, married six years ago to Qadeer of Kotli Merlan, had returned from Saudi Arabia a month prior to her murder, where her husband works. The couple had a two-and-a-half-year-old son named Muhammad Shafay.

Reports indicate that Zara faced frequent conflicts with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Shabbir Ahmed grew worried after repeated attempts to contact Zara failed.

Upon visiting her in-laws' home, he was told that she had left for her parental home that morning.

Seeing her young son still at the house heightened his concerns.

Shabbir Ahmed promptly filed a missing person complaint at the Motra police station, leading to the registration of a case under Section 496A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

District Police Officer (DPO) Rana Umar Farooq directed immediate action, forming a team led by SDPO Abid Rasheed to investigate.

The suspects were soon apprehended and, during interrogation, confessed to the heinous crime. They revealed that they had been plotting Zara's murder for several days and enlisted the help of Naveed, a relative from Lahore.

According to their confession, the suspects purchased a butcher's cutter in advance.

On the day of the murder, Naveed entered the house through the roof and, with the assistance of Zara's mother-in-law and sister-in-law, suffocated Zara. They then dismembered her body and attempted to burn her face to prevent identification.

The remains were divided into three plastic bags and discarded in various locations in a drain.

Police, forensic experts, and rescue teams worked tirelessly for over 24 hours, ultimately recovering the body parts from three separate sites. The police have amended the case to include provisions for murder, and all suspects have been taken into custody.

"We are committed to ensuring justice for the victim through a thorough and transparent investigation," stated DPO Rana Umar Farooq.

This incident has cast a grim spotlight on domestic violence and familial brutality, highlighting the need for vigilance and stronger protective measures for vulnerable individuals within households.

Earlier in May, a man allegedly shot his daughter-in-law dead following a quarrel over her not having children.

In the case filed by Osama Mazhar, a resident of Madina Town, it was stated that his sister Iram, 43, was married 17 years ago to Jahanzeb, a resident of Fazal Chowk Samanabad.

Iram had no children, but she adopted one child who is seven years old.

Her husband Jahanzeb had gone to Toba Tek Singh when her father-in-law, Muhammad Yusuf, quarrelled with her for not having children.

Later, Yusuf allegedly shot Iram with a 30-bore revolver and seriously injured her.

After medical aid, she was shifted to General Hospital Samanabad where she succumbed to her injuries. Samanabad police handed over the body to her heirs.