BAHAWALPUR: Khairpur Tamewali police in Hasilpur tehsil claimed that an alleged abductor and murderer of a four-year-old boy was killed during an “encounter”, in the firing by his own accomplices, near Khairpur, about 45kms from here.
According to police spokesperson, Abdul Hadi (4), son of Arif Shah, a resident of Bahawalnagar, came to visit his grandfather at Basti Salim Shah near Lal Sohanra, a few days ago.
On Nov 14, the child was playing outside his grandfather’s house in the street when he went missing mysteriously.
On the complaint of the child’s father, Arif, the police registered FIR No 1131/ 25 under section 363 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on Nov 15.
Taking notice of the incident, District Police Office (DPO) Muhammad Hassan Iqbal formed a special investigation team, which after hectic efforts on Sunday found the child’s body near the railway track along Hasilpur Road.
The spokespersons says that the police, using the latest technology and geofencing, traced the suspect, Shehbaz and arrested him.
He claims that as Shehbaz was leading the police to a place for recovery of the murder weapon, they were fired upon by the suspect’s accomplices in an attempt to free him.
This led to crossfire between the two side, during which Shehbaz was allegedly hit by bullets fires by his accomplice and died on the spot. His body was shifted to Khairpur Tamewali THQ Hospital for the postmortem examination.
About the motive behind the child’s abduction and murder, the police PRO told Dawn that Hadi’s father had refused to marry his daughter to the suspect, who harboured a grudge and committed the heinous crime in vengeance.
He said that a case against the dead suspect’s fleeing accomplices has been registered and a search was on to arrest them.
Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2025.
