Man held for murdering 9-year-old grandson

Suspect allegedly planned crime to frame creditors

GUJRANWALA:

Police have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his nine-year-old grandson.

According to police, the victim, Shoaib, was found critically injured behind a school late at night after local boys heard his screams and rushed to the spot. They discovered the child lying unconscious with severe abdominal injuries and informed his family.

The boy was initially taken to a local hospital on a motorcycle before Rescue 1122 shifted him to another medical facility, where he succumbed to his injuries.

A murder case was registered against unidentified attackers.

During the initial investigation, the victim's grandfather Abdul Rehman acted as the complainant and attempted to mislead investigators by suggesting that the killing could have been linked to sexual assault or some other motive.

Taking notice of the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Sardar Ghiyas Gul Khan assigned Saddar SP Muhammad Khan and other officials to supervise the investigation.

Police teams questioned residents throughout the village and examined CCTV footage, which proved crucial in tracing the suspect.

The police said the investigation led to the arrest of Abdul Rehman eight hours after the murder.

According to the CPO, the suspect had taken the child with him after buying him sweets from a shop. He allegedly took Shoaib to a nearby outhouse where he worked and later led him behind a school after ensuring no one was nearby.

Investigators said the suspect first struck the child on the head with a stick. When the boy screamed, he allegedly muffled his mouth before stabbing him in the abdomen, inflicting fatal injuries.

The police said the suspect had borrowed Rs1.2 million in advance from two landlords and had fallen into debt.