Gujar khan   -  In a startling revelation, the Jatli police have unearthed the blind murder of a trader, identifying his stepsons, stepdaughter, and third wife as the perpetrators. Police sources disclosed that the motive behind the murder was to put an end to the repeated sexual assault of Maria, at the hands of her stepfather.

The Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Gujar Khan, Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, informed reporters that Raja Shakeel Mirza, a local trader and property dealer living in Hassal village near Jatli, was discovered shot dead in his bedroom during the early hours of September 24.

A case has been registered by the police under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code following a complaint lodged by Yasir Mirza, the victim’s brother. In the FIR, the victim’s third wife, Yasmin, along with their two sons, Saif and Hamza, and their young daughter, Mariya, had reported that an unidentified assailant shot their father while he was asleep. During the investigations, police Sub-Inspector Israr Hussain from the Heinous Crime Investigation Unit (HIU) uncovered shocking details surrounding the cold-blooded murder.

Investigations revealed that Yasmin Bibi, the third wife of Mirza Shakeel, resided in his home alongside her three siblings from her late husband: Hamza, 25, Saif, 22, and Ms. Mariya, 26. Sub Inspector Israr disclosed that during an interrogation of Mariya and Yasmin, the former revealed that her stepfather had been forcibly subjecting her to sexual assault. She stated that she had become pregnant multiple times and had undergone three abortions as a result. She also mentioned that she gave birth to a baby girl, who was subsequently sold by Shakeel Mirza to his Lahore-based relative for Rs. 200,000.

She claimed that the baby’s DNA can confirm these facts. According to her account, one night her brother Saif, who had recently shifted to Mirza Shakeel’s house, saw her being raped in the drawing room, and the next day they plotted his murder. Mariya and her mother, Yasmin, reported to the police that they purchased a 30-bore pistol, and Shakeel was shot dead while asleep on the night of September 24.

 They raised an alarm about an unknown assailant committing the murder.

SI Israr confirmed that a DNA test will be conducted on the illegitimate child of Mariya and the deceased Mirza Shakeel to verify Mariya’s claims. Mr. Nabeel Khokhar, the superintendent of police, has commended the investigative efforts of Sub Inspector Israr Hussain and SDPO Rana Mahmood ul Hassan. Israr Hussain, an officer with the HIU in Rawalpindi, is recognized for his ability to unravel complex criminal cases. His expertise has earned him accolades from the regional police officer in the past.

Police have taken Yasmin Bibi, the widow of the deceased, into custody along with her sons Hamza Ali, Saif Ali, and daughter Mariya Mehfooz, while the weapon used in the murder has also been recovered. SP Khokhar stated that the suspects would be presented before the court of law for justice.