Schoolboy hacking to death case Five suspects arrested in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: The police have arrested all five suspects, who had allegedly hacked to death a 10-year schoolboy, merely for talking to a six-year old girl of their family.

"We are vigilant to maintain law and order and have arrested all five suspects nominated in the First Information Report and suspended three police muharirs for showing negligence when the victim family approached them for help," District Police Officer Shahzad Nadim Bukhari told a press conference here on Monday.

Superintendent of Police Arif Javed and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Central) Mohammad Ayaz were also present.

Bukhari, while giving details of gruesome murder of Mohammad Hamad, said the suspects confessed to the crime during the preliminary investigation, saying that the victim was talking with a six-year old girl of their family, which infuriated them and they hacked him to death in agricultural fields.

He said that Mohammad Dildar, father of the minor girl, was helped out by other members of his family including Mohammad Khano, Kala Khan, Mohammad Miskin and Khawaj Mohammad in hacking the victim with a sharp dagger.

The gruesome incident, which happened on February 23, led to blockade of Karakoram Highway for two consecutive days in protest, causing delay in burial. "We could arrest all suspects within 24 hours after the incident but blockade of KKH caused a little delay and we could succeed in arresting all of them within 72 hours," said Bukhari.

He said that three muharirs posted at Pulrah Police Station, including Waris Khan, Mohammad Sabir and Aqib Javed, were also suspended for showing negligence as alleged by the victim family. "If allegations are proven as stated by the victim family, all the three suspended Police muharirs would be punished under relevant laws," he said.