Suspect in child murder case killed in police ‘encounter’ in Punjab’s Hafizabad

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: A suspect wanted in the kidnapping and murder of a six-year-old boy was killed on Wednesday after allegedly coming under fire from his own accomplice during an “encounter” with police in Chak Sabu, Pindi Bhattian tehsil of Hafizabad district, officials said.

Hafizabad police spokesperson Head Constable Waqar Yousaf told Dawn that the body of the missing child was recovered from nearby fields during a search operation. It was taken into custody and shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination, while legal proceedings were initiated.

Pindi Bhattian Saddar police registered a first information report (FIR), dated April 28, a copy of which was seen by Dawn, on the complaint of the victim’s father. It invoked Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping) and 302 (intentional murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The spokesperson further stated that initial investigations identified the suspect as 40-year-old Zafar Hashmat, a resident of Faisalabad who had recently arrived in Pindi Bhattian and was working there temporarily as a labourer.

The police spokesperson elaborated that the suspect was taken into custody and interrogated, during which he allegedly confessed to abducting the child for sexual assault, murdering him, and disposing of the body in nearby fields.

In another FIR dated April 29, a copy of which was seen by Dawn, the Pindi Bhattian Saddar police claimed that the main suspect was killed by “his own accomplice’s firing”.

The second FIR was registered after the suspect’s death.

According to second FIR, a special team was formed under the supervision of the Pindi Bhattian sub-divisional police officer to arrest the other suspects, and roadblocks were established in the area.

“A motorcycle carrying two suspects was seen speeding along a river embankment, where it was intercepted by a police mobile. Upon noticing the police presence, the suspects attempted to turn back but lost control and fell. The suspects then opened fire on the police party,” the FIR read. It further stated that the “police returned fire in self-defence, after which the exchange of fire continued for some time”.

“One suspect managed to escape on the motorcycle under the cover of darkness,” it said, adding that the other suspect, who was wanted in the murder and kidnapping case, was “later found dead, struck by fire by his own accomplice”.

The FIR invoked sections 302, 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd), 186 (obstructing public servant in the discharge of his public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duties), 34 (common intention) of the PPC, and the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance 2015.

On Tuesday, nine suspects — including six in Lahore — were killed in separate encounters with the Crime Control Department (CCD) in various parts of Punjab.

Last year, one of the four suspects involved in the gang rape of a married woman in the presence of her husband was allegedly killed by firing of his own accomplices during an “encounter” with the Crime Control Department (CCD) in Hafizabad district.