Family disputes police claim in child's death

RAWALPINDI:

The heirs of a lost child, whose body was later recovered from a pond near Hoshial in the Mohra Ghar area of Rawat, have alleged that Rawat police didn't help the victim's family in tracing the case. They also raised doubts over the cause of death while rejecting the police claim that he drowned while playing.

On the day of the incident, the victim identified as Arshuman disappeared from a wedding house. He was not found even after an extensive search. When the family approached the police, the latter demanded the child's B-form.

The child's mother could not produce the certificate because of her illness. The police even requested the marriage certificate of the child's parents. The victim's father, a cancer patient, passed away after a few days of his son's disappearance.

In an exclusive phone conversation with The Express Tribune, the child's maternal uncle and the complainant in the case, Umar Rauf expressed his concerns about the unusual circumstances around the child's death. "It is difficult to believe that the child, who disappeared in the same area around two months ago, was found dead in a pond in the same area," he questioned. The victim's tongue was entangled between teeth.

Umar said that the area is frequently visited by locals, adding the police showed indifference but villagers remained actively involved in searching for the child.

Arshman was the eldest of three siblings. His father, who worked at a relative's house, passed away from the shock of the child's disappearance 22 days later.

Umar said when the body was found, the police claimed the child had accidentally drowned while playing and tried to take credit for his recovery by using human intelligence.

The Express Tribune attempted to contact the SHO of Rawat for his comment but to no avail.