Murky narrative: Man threatens to self-immolate if ‘kidnapped’ wife not recovered

Claims his spouse of 13 years was abducted by an SHO who she was reportedly having an affair with.

MANSEHRA:

A man on Friday threatened to self-immolate if his missing wife, who he claimed was kidnapped by an SHO, is not recovered immediately.

Addressing a news conference, Abdullah, who is a daily wager from Phulra village, said he had been happily married for 13 years and has four children. He said when he returned home on February 4, he found his wife talking to someone on the phone. When he inquired, she got into a fight with him and broke her phone. He then took out his wife’s phone’s data and found several calls made to Phulra Police SHO Maroof Khan besides their pictures together.

After the incident, Abdullah said he forbade his wife from leaving the house or contacting the SHO. However, when he returned home from work the next day, his wife was gone.

He claimed he had lodged an FIR against the SHO, but there was hardly any action taken against him as he himself is the in-charge. Instead, Abdullah alleged the SHO started threatening him of dire consequences.

According to police sources, the complainant appeared before Hazara DIG Akhtar Hayat Gandapur two days back and showed him pictures of the SHO with his wife. On his complaint, DIG Gandapur suspended the accused SHO.

Not satisfied with the SHO’s suspension, Abdullah chose to talk to the media and threatened to set himself on fire if his wife was not recovered.

When approached for comments, the suspended SHO, who was recently posted at City police station in Manshera, denied the accusations and said he has nothing to do with the family dispute.

Presenting court documents, he informed Abdullah’s wife recorded her statement with Manshera judicial magistrate stating she was not kidnapped and instead ran away from her house because her husband used to beat her. The SHO further said she also filed for a divorce and the suit is under way in a local family court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2014.