Outlaws and in-laws: Man accuses his wife’s family of murdering his newborn son

Hussain said doctors told him they delivered a healthy baby.

BADLI SHARIF: A man accused his in-laws of murdering his newborn son and of trying to have him killed.

According to police officials, Badli Sharif resident Atta Hussain said that he had been working as a driver and was usually away from his house. “My wife Gul Khatoon was seven months pregnant but she left to stay with her parents after we had a quarrel,” he told police. Hussain said that his wife left him a week ago to go to her parent’s house in a nearby village. “She left without telling me and when I went to bring her back a few days later, her family would not let me enter or speak to her,” he said.

Hussain said that his father-in-law Shabbir Ahmed, mother-in-law, brother-in-law Muhammad Ashraf and Ramzan took his wife to a doctor and had the child delivered. “They strangled my baby after the birth. Doctors at the clinic told me that my wife had been there a couple of days ago and safely delivered a baby boy,” he said.

Hussain told police officials that when he went to his in-laws’ house they did not let him enter and armed men barred the gates. “I took two men with me to bring my wife back home and ask about what had happened with the pregnancy but they didn’t let me see her. Nearly seven men stood outside the gates with guns,” he said.

“Hussain told us what had happened and we went with him to mediate. We were going to negotiate with Ahmed to persuade Gul Khatoon to return home,” Inayatullah said, adding “but when we reached the place there were gun men and we left before it could get out of hand.”

Fida Hussain said that Hussain’s son had been murdered. “A maid at his father-in-law’s house told us that he had a son but the family had strangled the baby and that his wife was applying for a divorce,” he said. “They are trying to force him to divorce his wife but he says we will file a case in court regarding the murder of his son,” he added.

“These people killed an innocent new born baby and I will see them pay for it,” Hussain told police officials. Rahim Yar Khan police officials said that they had already registered a case on Hussain’s statement and were investigating the charges. “We have spoken to the doctor who delivered the child and she confirmed that she had treated Gul and delivered a healthy baby,” Inspector Mazhar Saeed said. “They have been threatening me as well. I have gotten phone calls to drop the case but my son is dead and I want justice,” Hussain said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th,  2011.