CCTV footage surfaces in girl's death case

Police add murder charge, launch raids for arrest of victim's relative

RAWALPINDI:

CCTV footage showing the last known movements of 15-year-old Maimoona, whose body was found at her maternal uncle's house a day after she went missing, has surfaced, while police have added Section 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code to the kidnapping case.

The footage shows the girl, dressed in green and white, walking through a street. A man, whom the family has identified as her maternal uncle, is seen stopping her and talking to her for a while. He also appears to hand her something, after which she turns back and the man walks away in another direction.

Police and family members reportedly checked the maternal uncle's house based on suspicions arising from the footage, but found it locked. In the presence of family members and local residents, police broke open the lock and found the girl's body beneath a charpoy inside the house.

The body bore apparent signs of violence. Police took it into custody, collected evidence from the scene and shifted it to a hospital for a post-mortem examination. Officials said the exact cause of death would be determined after the post-mortem report.

According to police, Maimoona's father, Muhammad Faisal, a resident of Dhoke Najju, had reported her missing. He said she left home for a madrassa on October 6 but did not return. A kidnapping case was registered against unidentified persons the same day.

After recovery of the body, police added the murder charge to the case. Raids are being conducted at different locations, including areas in Charsadda and Abbottabad, to arrest the suspected accused.

Rawalpindi CPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera took notice of the incident and directed police to arrest those involved. SSP Investigation Saifullah also visited the crime scene.

The girl's mother has appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for justice. In a video statement, she alleged that the suspected accused was alone at home when her daughter went missing and that marks of violence were visible on the body after it was recovered.

She further alleged that the suspect initially joined the family in searching for the girl and, when she later went to his house to ask about Maimoona, he did not open the door and said he had not seen her.

The mother said her daughter had been brutally killed and appealed for justice, questioning how other girls could remain safe if her family did not receive justice.

Police said all aspects of the case were being investigated and that the cause of death and motive would become clear from the post-mortem report and investigation. They said anyone found involved would be arrested and proceeded against according to law.