ISLAMABAD: A three-year-old girl was found dead near Jhangi Syedan after going missing from outside her home, while Islamabad Police arrested her brother-in-law in connection with the case.
According to police, the child, identified as Sakina, went missing at around 2pm on September 22 after she was seen playing outside her house in the street. Her mother noticed that she had disappeared and initially searched for her with other family members before approaching police later that night.
Police said the girl’s mother registered a case and expressed concern that her daughter may have been kidnapped. Investigators subsequently formed seven teams to search for the missing child and examined deserted areas around the settlement.
According to SP Industrial Area Dr Ayaz Hussain, investigators reviewed CCTV footage recorded near Jhangi Syedan. The footage reportedly showed Sakina walking through a street while holding the hand of a young man.
Police said the man was identified as Kashif, the girl’s brother-in-law. Investigators questioned him after reviewing the footage, and police said his responses raised further questions.
According to the police account, Kashif allegedly confessed during questioning to sexually assaulting and strangling the child. Police said he then identified the location where the girl’s body had allegedly been disposed of, and officers recovered her body from a rainwater drain in an isolated area near Jhangi Syedan.
Police said the suspect was taken into custody and obtained five-day physical remand as investigators continued questioning him. Murder-related charges were also added to the case that had initially been registered over the girl’s disappearance.
The police said DNA and other forensic samples from the suspect and the deceased child have been sent for analysis. The child’s body was handed over to her family following a post-mortem examination.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death, including CCTV footage and other available evidence.
Police said the suspect originally belonged to Faisalabad and had moved to Jhangi Syedan several months earlier. He had married Sakina’s elder sister around one-and-a-half years ago and was reportedly unemployed, while his wife worked in other people’s homes to support the family.
The case has caused distress among the girl’s family and local residents. Sakina’s maternal grandfather appealed to the authorities to ensure that the matter is investigated and that justice is served.
The investigation remains ongoing, and forensic findings are expected to help investigators establish further details of the case.
