Thin blood: Man thrown acid at ‘by father’

He had asked his father to return the gold and wheat he had kept with him.

FAISALABAD:

A man was thrown acid at allegedly by his father and brother in Chiniot on Wednesday when he asked them to return the valuables that he had handed them for safekeeping.

The injured was taken to the district headquarters hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition.

Rajua police said Muhammad Afzal, a resident of Chak Babar, had given 150 grams of gold and several sacks of wheat to his father, Sher Muhammad, two weeks ago.

However, on Wednesday when Afzal asked him to return the valuables, Muhammad refused to. They said he sent him back saying that he had spent all his life’s earning on his children and that it was time for them to pay back.

This led to an argument and Muhammad called his other son, Muhammad Ashraf, and together they beat up Afzal.

They also threw acid at Afzal and fled. Afzal’s wife and mother informed the police. Afzal was taken to the DHQ hospital, where doctors said that he had 60 per cent burns.

Some neighbours, who helped take Afzal to the hospital said they rushed to the house when Afzal’s wife and children jumped onto the roofs of the adjacent houses and shouted for help.

They said Muhammad and Ashraf had locked the door and for a while did not let anyone in.

A few minutes later, they said, Muhammad and Ashraf opened the door and fled, threatening the neighbours with death if someone informed the police.

Afzal’s wife told police that her father-in-law had already deprived Afzal of some of the land he had inherited after an altercation a few months ago. She said she had warned her husband not to trust his father with his assets.

Some relatives of the family who talk to The Express Tribune said that Afzal’s father was a coldblooded person and had never been kind to his sons, especially Afzal. They said he had thrown him out of his house several times in disputes over money. Every time, they said, his wife and mother would mediate and resolve the differences.

Station House Officer Ghulam Murtaza said an FIR had been registered. He said a police team was looking for the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2013.