Bad blood: ‘My husband’s nephews killed him’

BAHAWALPUR:

Residents of Ghulwan village near Mubarakpur on Thursday protested against police for failing to arrest three men who they said had killed their uncle following an argument over water on Wednesday evening.

They gathered in front of the rural health centre in Mubarakpur and chanted slogans against the police. Amna Mai, the widow of the deceased, told newsmen that her husband Kaleemullah had had an argument with his nephews Mudassar and Sufian over irrigation water for their farms.

She said Mudassar, Sufian and their accomplices Abu Bakr, Umar, Muhammad Ashfaq, Sabir and Hafeez had beaten her husband to death.

She said police had taken the body to the rural health centre for post mortem examination.“They told us it would be better if we withdrew our complaint and reach a settlement with the assailants,” she said. She said police were not serious about pursuing the case because Sufian and Mudassar were influential people. Hatheji police check post in charge Muhammd Ishaq said police were waiting for the post mortem report before proceeding with the arrests.  He said police suspected that the deceased might have died from natural causes. “The argument occurred around 5 pm,” he said. “Police were called at 1 am.” He said a team had been formed to investigate the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2015.