GUJRANWALA, June 23: When Muhammad Iqbal, of Sansra Goraya village in Gujranwala, stopped an avenging youth of the locality from burning the pigeons of his neighbour, he did not know the same fire would burn his own 10-year-old son.

On June 6, Iqbal’s son Awais went to a seminary in the evening and never returned. On the fourth of abduction, his body with acid burn marks was found near Upper Chenab Canal.

When Awais went missing, Iqbal lodged a first information report with Sadar police against unidentified people. After a day, an anonymous caller told him his son was with them. Iqbal went to local Gujjar elders for help in search of his son.

Later, Iqbal told police that a few days before the abduction of his son, when he was on the roof of his house at night, Tayyab, of the same village, climbed up his roof with a bottle full of petrol in his hand. Iqbal asked him what he was doing there. Tayyab said he wanted to burn the pigeons on the roof of adjacent house. Iqbal asked him to go away. At mid-night, another youth Khurram climbed up the roof with a desire to burn the pigeons. When Iqbal asked him to climb down of his roof, Khurram warned him of consequences and went away. After a few days, his son was abducted.

Iqbal says on the fourth day of the abduction, he received a call and the caller asked him to reach the Upper Chenab Canal. Reaching there, he saw a big stone stained with human blood and hair, and by the stone the pair of shoes of his son was lying. He identified the shoes of his son. Hearing his wailing, villagers also thronged at the place. The corpse was found near the canal.

Iqbal said according to the post-mortem report the accused poured acid into the ears, eyes, mouth and other parts of the body of the minor. He said the ruthless attackers struck his son’s head with a stone.

Later, in the case he nominated Tayyab, Khurram, Akram and Nadeem.

A Sadar police official said police were investigating the matter, and the accused would soon be behind bars.