Police say relatives uncovered signs of torture during funeral preparations, leading to a murder case against the victim’s husband and son.
The Incident in Rawalpindi
A shocking case of domestic violence has emerged from the Girja area under Rawalpindi’s Dhamial Police jurisdiction. On August 10, Amir Abbas, along with his son, rushed his wife Samina to a hospital, claiming she had fallen down the stairs and sustained severe injuries. Despite her critical condition, no formal medico-legal report was registered at the hospital’s police facilitation desk.
Four days later, on August 14, Samina succumbed to her injuries. Instead of informing her extended family or pursuing legal procedures, Amir Abbas and his son placed her body in a coffin and transported it to their native area in Kot Addu for burial.
Suspicious Funeral Preparations
The plan to bury Samina quietly unraveled when her relatives in Kot Addu heard of the funeral through the local community. Ghulam Akhtar, her father, rushed to the location with other family members. During the ritual washing of the body, women performing the preparation discovered multiple bruises and visible injuries inconsistent with a fall.
Alarmed by the findings, the family immediately halted the burial and contacted the local police. The body was then transported back to Rawalpindi for further investigation.
Police Response
Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani took immediate notice of the incident and directed Dhamial Police to initiate proceedings. A post-mortem examination was conducted, confirming suspicions of torture. Following this, a formal murder case was registered against Amir Abbas and his son on the complaint of Samina’s father.
The charges include homicide and concealing evidence. Authorities have assured the family that those responsible will be brought to justice.
Family’s Allegations
In his statement, complainant Ghulam Akhtar revealed that his daughter had married Amir Abbas 18 years ago without family approval. The couple had three children but remained estranged from her extended family due to strained relations.
Akhtar alleged that Abbas would bring other women into the home and pressure Samina into “immoral activities.” When she refused, he would become violent. According to the complaint, both Abbas and his son subjected Samina to severe torture in the days leading up to her death.
Akhtar expressed grief over losing contact with his daughter for years and said he only learned of her death through the funeral announcement. “We rushed to see her one last time, but what we discovered was beyond imagination,” he added.
Widespread Shock and Ongoing Investigation
The case has triggered outrage in the local community, with residents condemning the brutality and the attempt to cover up the crime through a secret burial. Police have assured that the suspects will be arrested soon and the investigation will leave “no stone unturned.”
Authorities are also exploring whether other family members were aware of the torture and why hospital staff failed to escalate the matter when Samina was brought in with severe injuries.
The incident has once again highlighted the pressing issue of domestic violence and the vulnerability of women in abusive households, sparking calls for stronger protective measures and accountability.