RAWALPINDI, Dec 13: Police investigating the murder of a woman allegedly by her in-laws over Mehr dispute in Dhoke Hassu arrested her parents-in-law and her husband’s younger brother on Tuesday.

The three accused nominated in the murder case — Ahmed Shaikh, father-in-law of the victim, his wife Zarina and her husband’s younger brother Basharat Shaikh — were arrested by the police on Tuesday. Zarina Bibi was sent to judicial lockup for 14 days while her husband and son would be sent to the judicial lockup on Wednesday.

“Yes, the mother-in-law of the deceased, also her real aunt, was sent to Adiala jail after being arrested from her house while her husband and son would be sent to jail on Wednesday on murder charges,” Sub-Inspector (SI) Muhammad Arif who is leading the investigation, told Dawn.

He said Zarina Bibi denied that she was involved in setting her daughter-in-law on fire in a dispute over Mehr. She blamed her husband for the tragic death of Irum.

“How can I declare them innocent as there was nobody else at home when the girl was set on fire,” the investigating officer said, adding that there was a burnt quilt lying near her body when the police reached the scene.

Irum 19, daughter of Aurangzaib, a resident of Abbottabad, was married to her cousin Mohammad Sadique some six months ago.— Mohammad Asghar