Builder’s murder: police rule out terrorism link
An old family feud could be the reason behind the murder of the contractor, police investigations suggest.
ISLAMABAD:
Police have ruled out the possibility of terrorist involvement in the murder-after-kidnapping case of a contractor in sector F-8. Investigations suggest that an old family feud could be the reason behind the killing of 30-year-old builder Rehmatullah Khan.
Police said that Khan was kidnapped by unknown gunmen from sector I-8 on Monday night while he was on his way home. On Tuesday, his body was recovered from a green belt in sector F-10/3.
Police said that Khan was severely tortured, with injuries on his head and lower parts of his body. He was beaten to death with a blunt weapon. “He was dragged out of his car by four unknown gunmen while Javed, another builder and Khan’s friend were left unhurt in the car,” said a police official.
His cousin informed the police 45 minutes after the incident. Police suspect the builder was taken to an unknown location where he was tortured to death before being dumped on the greenbelt.
The killers of his elder brother Hafizullah could be behind the murder, police said. Hafizullah was killed by the brothers of his step-mother in Kabul. Later, six people were arrested and three of them hanged for the murder. Industrial Area Police suspect that the three who were released may have killed Khan.
The murdered brothers’ father was living in Kabul with his two wives. However, Khan was a native of Wana, but was living in sector E-11.
Police said Khan was in constant contact with his father in Kabul; however, he had strained relations with the rest of the family. “About half-an-hour before his kidnapping he had talked to his father on phone,” said a police official. It is not known as yet whether Khan regularly visited his native town.
Police are investigating the security guards deployed at the plaza in I-8 Markaz and the other builder Javed, who was in Khan’s car at the time of his kidnapping.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2010.
Police have ruled out the possibility of terrorist involvement in the murder-after-kidnapping case of a contractor in sector F-8. Investigations suggest that an old family feud could be the reason behind the killing of 30-year-old builder Rehmatullah Khan.
Police said that Khan was kidnapped by unknown gunmen from sector I-8 on Monday night while he was on his way home. On Tuesday, his body was recovered from a green belt in sector F-10/3.
Police said that Khan was severely tortured, with injuries on his head and lower parts of his body. He was beaten to death with a blunt weapon. “He was dragged out of his car by four unknown gunmen while Javed, another builder and Khan’s friend were left unhurt in the car,” said a police official.
His cousin informed the police 45 minutes after the incident. Police suspect the builder was taken to an unknown location where he was tortured to death before being dumped on the greenbelt.
The killers of his elder brother Hafizullah could be behind the murder, police said. Hafizullah was killed by the brothers of his step-mother in Kabul. Later, six people were arrested and three of them hanged for the murder. Industrial Area Police suspect that the three who were released may have killed Khan.
The murdered brothers’ father was living in Kabul with his two wives. However, Khan was a native of Wana, but was living in sector E-11.
Police said Khan was in constant contact with his father in Kabul; however, he had strained relations with the rest of the family. “About half-an-hour before his kidnapping he had talked to his father on phone,” said a police official. It is not known as yet whether Khan regularly visited his native town.
Police are investigating the security guards deployed at the plaza in I-8 Markaz and the other builder Javed, who was in Khan’s car at the time of his kidnapping.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2010.