Cozy country town moved by grief; the Minister of the Interior requests the District Police Chief for notification
Sindh Police. PHOTO: FILE
HYDERABAD:
A seven-year-old child who had been missing for five days was found dead on Sunday with his body packed in a gun case and dumped next to a waterworks.
This gruesome incident took place in Baloch Mohalla in Jhalori, a rural town in Shujabad taluka of Mirpurkhas district. Residents of the town, who resorted to protests by closing down markets and burning tyres, described the incident as nothing less than a nightmare in a peaceful area.
Inspector Inayat Zardari confirmed to the media that the dead body has been identified as seven-year-old Aamna, daughter of Molana Ghulam Haider Kundrani, a prayer leader at a local mosque. The body, which was discovered by the local residents, was shifted to Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas. The first medical report indicated torture and rape.
According to Kundrani, it was a regular day for him to see his daughter go to school and return during break and then go back to school again. “Around 2 or 2:30 p.m. a classmate dropped her bag at our house and we thought she might be playing with friends after school,” the wet father told the media.
The family and neighbors began looking for the child around 4:30 p.m. Kundrani and the local residents said they searched every corner of the small rural town but could not find her. He said a neighbor had informed him of seeing his daughter crying outside the school and saying that someone is trying to kill her.
Kundrani blamed the police for subjecting him to mental torture instead of making efforts to find the missing child when he reported the missing child case. Molana Hafeezur Rehman, a notable figure in Mirpurkhas, also accused the police of their criminal negligence.
“We know there are drug addicts and criminally inclined people in our community. The police should have made a serious effort to find her instead of going wrong.” Rehman warned that if the police continued to show the same indifference, they would resort to protests. He urged people to try to feel the pain of a father whose beloved daughter first disappeared for days and later her dead body was found wrapped in a sack.
The Sindh Home Minister has directed SSP Mirpurkhas to give a detailed briefing on the matter and stressed the need for a speedy and thorough investigation. He called on the authorities to ensure that all the facts are revealed and to keep him updated on progress.
Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah also personally contacted SSP Mirpurkhas and expressed deep grief over the incident. He instructed the police to prepare a comprehensive report and ensure the speedy arrest of those responsible. “This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” he said. “My heart goes out to the bereaved family and we will ensure that justice is served.”
