SAHIWAL, Sept 19: Relentless kidnappers, who had left the parents of a youth to mourn after they killed him despite receiving most of the ransom amount which was no less than Rs800,000, were arrested by the Chichawatni police after a month.

Reports said that Atif Mustafa, 21, a resident of Chichawatni, was dropped by his parents at the wagon stand on Aug 19 for his onward journey to Faisalabad.

His father, who is a property dealer, was later informed that his son was kidnapped and that he had to arrange Rs1 million for his release. The kidnappers also warned him to desist from informing police.

After negotiations, it was decided that initially Rs800,000 would be paid to kidnappers while the rest of the amount after Mustafa reached home.

On Aug 27, the kidnappers received the settled amount from youth’s parents at a designated spot on Chichawatni railway station, informing that their son would join them after two hours. They waited there till next morning, but their son did not appear to their utter disappointment. The Thakriwala police station, Faisalabad district, had on Aug 23 recovered the body of a youth on the animal market premises in Chak 66/GB. Following an autopsy, the police had shifted the body to the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.

Thakriwala police had registered a murder case on the same day. On Sept 17, the family of Mustafa finally reported the matter to the Chichawatni police. Sub-Inspector Mumtaz Ahmed, who was appointed investigation in-charge, started interrogating one of Mustafa’s friend Naveed Khan who confessed to his crime.

Naveed informed police that he along with his common friends, Abid, Zeeshan and Hamid Masih, had hired a taxi cab from Hamza Rent-A-Car and picked Mustafa from the wagon stand the moment his parents had left him.

He said they first moved to Sahiwal from where they bought some liquid intoxicant which they served Mustafa in a soft drink. After he fainted near Ravi bridge, they strangled him to death with a wire, packed his body in a wheat bag and threw his body near Chak 66/GB, Thakriwala.

SI Mumtaz Ahmed said the police had arrested accused Naveed, Zeeshan and Hamid and registered a murder case against them

The SI said the body of Mustafa was presently lying in Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, which would be brought to Chichawatni on Friday.