Kidnapping and murder: Neighbour arrested over death of 14-year-old

‘Student killed after family paid ransom because he could recognise kidnapper’.

LAHORE:

The police have arrested three men for the kidnap and murder of a school student including a neighbour of the family in Shahdara.

Fazal Abbas, the main accused, and alleged accomplices Saqib and Almas were arrested by the Special Anti Terrorism and Kidnapping for Ransom Squad of the Crimes Investigation Agency Kotwali, said Ghulam Rasool, who is in charge of the squad.

Muhammad Umer, 14, a student of class 9, went missing along with his motorbike on June 29. A day later, his family was contacted by the kidnappers with a Rs7 million ransom demand, said Rasool. Umer’s father Muhammad Iqbal, a trader, then contacted Shahdara police and an FIR was registered.

On July 3, the family paid a Rs1.2 million ransom. The next day, Umer’s body was found in the Ravi.

Rasool, the CIA investigation officer, said that Fazl Abbas, who lived next door, was a gambling addict and had debts of Rs300,000. He and Saqib and Almas had rented a house in Bokhari Park, paying Rs40,000 in advance and Rs3,000 monthly rent, at which they kept Umer after the abduction.

The CIA officer said that Abbas, acting the concerned neighbour, had joined the family in the initial search for Umer in order to keep an eye on their actions. After receiving the ransom, he had decided not to release the hostage because Umer recognised him as his neighbour. Umer had been strangled and dumped in the Ravi, said Rasool.

The officer said that the ransom of Rs1.2 million, Umer’s motorcycle and mobile phones and SIM cards used by the kidnappers to make the ransom demands had been recovered from the three suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2012.