Rawalpindi - A spiritual leader and caretaker of a shrine along with his relatives and guards allegedly tortured a 24-year-old man to death in New Murree, sources claimed on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Waqas Ali, resident of Dir Kot Sattian, tehsil Kotli Sattian. The police have registered a murder case against the accused besides arresting two suspects in the case, they added.

According to sources, Waqas Ali went to the shrine of Peer Azmat Hussain Shah at Patriata, New Murree on Monday to get rid of agony and pain. However, the devotee entered into a room by mistake that was specified for women, they said. On this, Soman Azmat (son of the peer), Khurshid Zaman (brother in law of the peer) and their armed guards caught Waqas and took him to another room where they beat him. “The ill-fated Waqas could not bear the merciless torture and died on the spot,” sources mentioned.

The news of death of the man spread in the area like jungle fire and relatives of the deceased and area people poured on road and staged a protest demonstration against the atrocity of the caretakers of the shrine. Police also reached on the spot and moved the body to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for autopsy, the sources said.

Meanwhile, police lodged First Information Report (FIR) on complaint of Zulfiqar Ali, father of the victim, under sections 302, 147 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against the accused. In his complaint, the complainant told the police that he had received information that his son was tortured to death by peer Azmat, his son and 3 to 4 guards at his shrine and the body was moved to THQ. He added that he rushed to the hospital where he saw body of his son with multiple torture signs.

The applicant told the police that Rafaz Satti and Wasim Fiaz were eyewitnesses of the tragic incident. He mentioned that the peer and his men tortured his son to death without any reason, therefore; the police should register a case against them. He said that his son was follower of the peer and often used to visit the shrine. Taking action, police registered an FIR and began investigation.

City Police Officer (CPO) Capt (R) Faisal Rana, in a press note, said that police have registered a murder case with Police Station Murree against the peer and his accomplices. He said that Soman and Khurshid had been held in connection with the case. He added that several police teams had also been formed that were also raiding at various places to arrest the fleeing accused.

“The main culprit Peer Azmat will be nabbed soon,” the CPO said.

On the other hand, scores of residents and relatives of the deceased staged a protest demonstration by placing the body in the middle of Jheeka Gali Road.

The protestors were chanting slogans against the peer and his accomplices and demanding their arrest. The protest triggered traffic jam in Murree and immense troubles for commuters and traders.