A 75-year-old widow was murdered with an ax by her stepson in Sroba Chaudhrian area of Rawalpindi on Friday. The defendant, 45-year-old Muhammad Raza, reportedly suffers from a mental disorder and has a history of violent outbursts at home.
Muhammad Raza, who is unmarried and lived alone with his stepmother Chandni Bibi, got into a minor argument with her. The argument quickly escalated and Raza hit Chandni Bibi on the head with an axe, causing serious injuries, before also attacking her with a knife.
When a neighbor, Raqeeban Bibi, heard the commotion, she rushed to intervene. The accused also attacked her and hit her on the head with the ax, leaving her critically injured. Despite her injuries, she managed to raise the alarm, prompting local residents to gather at the scene.
Read: Father-son duo, accused of murder, shot dead
Chandni Bibi later succumbed to her injuries. After receiving information, police and rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the injured Raqeeban Bibi to the hospital for treatment, while Chandni Bibi’s body was taken for post-mortem. Evidence was collected from the spot and Muhammad Raza was arrested.
Police sources say the accused is mentally ill and often gets involved in arguments at home. An investigation has been launched following his arrest.
City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani took notice of the incident and ordered a thorough investigation to be conducted, keeping all possible angles in mind.
