Stingy dowry: ‘Woman killed by husband, in-laws’

She had more than 21 body injuries according to the doctors.

FAISALABAD:

A woman died at a hospital on Tuesday from wounds suffered in a brutal beating by her husband and in-laws, police said.   

“Saima, a resident of Allama Iqbal Colony, was beaten up on March 19, 2014 for not bringing in enough dowry,” D-Type Colony Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Usman told The Express Tribune.

He said the 26-year-old woman had been treated at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, where she succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday.

“Saima had more than 21 body injuries according to the doctors treating her,” he said.

The SHO said police had arrested her husband, Muhammad Arshad, and his father Abdur Rasheed on a complaint filed by Muhammad Tariq, an uncle of the deceased.

“Saima’s brother-in-law, Muhammad Afzal and sisters-in-law Shazia and Riffat [also nominated in the FIR] are at large,” he said.



The SHO said the deceased had been married for four years and had two children. “Her husband and in-laws frequently brought the dowry matter and beat her.”

He said the body had been sent to a mortuary for post mortem examination.

City Police Officer (CPO) Haidar Ashraf has directed the Iqbal Town SP to head the inquiry and arrest Saima’s killers in 48 hours.

The relatives of the deceased on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration against the police for not arresting those responsible for Saima’s murder.

The protestors blocked Faisalabad-Samundri Road. They alleged that police was reluctant to arrest the culprits because they were being supported by influential people.

The protest ended when a police team assured the protestors that the matter would be taken in accordance with the law.

The policemen told the protestors that the remaining suspects would be arrested in 24 hours.

They said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also taken notice of the incident and had directed the CPO to present a report.

Murder-accused attempts self-immolation

A man accused of murdering his wife and two daughters attempted self-immolation at a police station in Sargodha on Monday night.

Qamar Abbas, a resident of Kot Momin, had allegedly murdered his wife Nighat Bibi and daughters, Maria and Iqra, over a family dispute on March 19, according to a police handout issued on Tuesday.

Police said Abbas was taken to district headquarters hospital where his condition was later reported to be critical. Meanwhile, District Police Officer Basharat Mehmood visited the Kot Momin police station on Tuesday and suspended three policemen including Station House Officer Shabrez Gujjar for being negligent. Regional Police Officer Ahmed Ishaq Jahangir has appointed SSP Mumtaz to head the inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2014.