DERA GHAZI KHAN-The husband of 35-year-old Suriya Bibi, who lost her life during alleged exorcism on February 8, 2017, has confessed to killing his wife, police said.
The accused was the petitioner in the case, Investigating Officer (IO) Inspector Alimud Din told The Nation on Tuesday. The horrible incident took place in the precincts of B-Division police at Sajjad Abad DG Khan in the presence of all the family members including his two other wives, children, her mentally retarded mother and her 25 years old sister Ruqia Bibi, who was the cause of the murder.
"During investigation, her husband Nazar Hussain Chandia has confessed that he killed his wife by strangling her with a rope when she was semiconscious due to burning and injuries after performing so-called exorcism. He was also alone in the room, but suddenly her 6 year old daughter Saira Bibi saw him while killing her mother," the investigating officer said.
The IO added that Nazar Hussain, who is now accused in the case, had filed a complaint that her wife had been killed during exorcism by spiritual healer Amanullah and his assistant Hammed and both had fled away from the crime scene.
"On the complaint, the police had registered a case against the sorcerer and his assistant vide FIR No 40/17 under Pakistan Penal Code sections 302/34 and started investigation by arresting both suspected accused of the case. In the light of some evidence, postmortem report and statements of both the suspects, it was revealed that Nazar Hussain had planned it and was main culprit," he further added.
In the Police Station B-Division, Nazar Hussain said Suriya Bibi was his second wife and mother of three children, out of total three wives. He runs the business of prostitution with the help of other two wives namely Nasira Bibi and Farzana Bibi, and some call girls belonging to Multan.
A woman namely Rani Begum of Multan provides call girls for the business. He usually uses first floor of his own house for prostitution or uses method of pick and drop through vehicles like rickshaws.
Nazar said that despite having three wives, now he had developed sexual relationship with his sister-in-law Ruqia, who is real sister of the deceased. He killed her so that he could marry Ruqia Bibi, he confessed.
Nazar disclosed that he along with his nephew Abdul Sattar started saying in the family that Suriya had suffered from some psychological problem, as she has started talking to herself a couple of weeks back, therefore an exorcism was very necessary for her. On February 8, 2017 evening, spiritual healer Amanullah and his assistant were asked to treat her. They tied the woman to a tree and thrashed her with a flaming wood. Later, they tried to 'treat her with the help of heat and smoke. Even her children shouted to stop the cruel process of exorcism, but we (spiritual healers and culprit) ignored the hue and cry, and continued inhuman 'treatment' which eventually resulted in her death.
The accused disclosed that Suriya Bibi was killed in the room but her dead body was shifted to Teaching Hospital DG Khan through a planned play.
The police have recovered all articles of exorcism including a rope from the house. Almost investigation has completed and complete case (challan) would be submitted in the court on the next of date hearing.