Special team formed to probe Sarim’s murder

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the brutal murder of seven-year-old Sarim, who was abducted and later found dead in an underground water tank near his residence in North Karachi.

The team, headed by DSP Fareed Ahmed Khan, included Inspector Israr Afridi, SHO Bilal Colony Police Station; Inspector Saleem Ahmed Siddiqui, SIO Bilal Colony; Inspector Rana Haseeb Ahmed, SIO Liaquatabad, and other co-opted members. They had been tasked to ensure the arrest of those involved and were required to submit daily progress reports to DIG West Zone Irfan Ali Baloch.

The custody of the five detained suspects including two watchmen, a seminary teacher and a relative of the victim’s father had also been handed over to the newly formed investigation team. Investigators were also conducting DNA tests of the suspects as part of the inquiry.

Sarim’s family had filed a missing person’s report on January 7 after the boy failed to return home from a nearby madrassa. Eleven days later, his body was discovered in a water tank with its lid covered by a carton.

Initial autopsy reports confirmed the child was subjected to rape and bore injury marks. His neck bone was found broken, suggesting he had been strangled. Sarim’s father had earlier revealed receiving suspicious calls and messages from unknown numbers during the search for his son.