Woman, brother killed; husband critical

SADIQABAD:

A woman and her brother were killed allegedly by a brother of her husband’s second wife. The assailant also attacked her husband before he fled.

The injured was taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan, where doctors treating him said that he was in critical condition. All three –Muhammad Ramazan, Azran Bibi and Ilyas – were attacked with a cleaver.

City police said they were informed about the killings by a sister of the deceased, who said she was also at the house at the time when the assailant struck. A case has been registered. They said Ramazan, a resident of Zakariya Garden, who was married to Azra Bibi, had married his cousin Rukhsana Bibi, a resident of Okara last year. They said the relationship between them had deteriorated recently and a few weeks ago, she had left him and started living with her parents in Okara.

On Thursday, they said, Rukhsan Bibi’s brother Shehzad alias Guddu, visited his brother-in-law. Ramazan’s first wife Azra Bibi, her brother Ilyas and sister Sameera were also present.

They said Shehzad took Ilyas to the terrace ‘for a smoke’, but instead attacked him with a cleaver killing him on the spot. When they did not return for some time, police said, Ramazan and Azran went upstairs to investigate. Shehzad attacked them as well.

On hearing them scream, Sameera who was downstairs started shouting for help. Shehzad fled the scene. Some neighbours informed the police. The injured were taken to the hospital, but Azra Bibi died on the way.

Sameera alleged that Shehzad had probably been instigated by his sister Rukshana Bibi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2013.