RAWALPINDI: The bodies of the woman and child in the triple murder case have been identified after they were claimed by her brother.

Three bodies were found by a nullah in Gorakhpur, Adiala, on Monday, with three bullets fired into the man’s mouth and the skulls of the woman and child smashed with an axe after they were killed.

The woman has been identified as Nosheen and the child is said to be Saddiq Shafiq, her son.

Their bodies have been claimed by her brother, who belongs to Kahuta in Azad Kashmir.

Though the body of the man, who was identified as Bilal Ahmed, was claimed by his family, those of the woman and her son lay unclaimed in the District Headquarters Hospital mortuary for several days.

Nosheen had married Mohammad Shafiq three years ago whom she left and married for a second time. Her second husband was Atif, a resident of Gujar Khan. The son she had with Shafiq lived with her mother.

The police investigating officer told Dawn that Nosheen is thought to have eloped, most likely with Bilal.

He said Atif had contacted the woman’s brother three months ago to tell him his sister had left him.

“Either of her ex-husbands could be involved in the murder though it is too early to confirm that because Atif is missing from his home in Gujar Khan. Until he is investigated, the real circumstances in which the three people were killed cannot be known,” he said.

The police officer said Nosheen’s second husband Atif had been a close friend of Bilal’s and that it is believed Nosheen may have been staying with Bilal which annoyed Atif.

Bilal was a domestic driver in the Defence Housing Society and also drove a taxi part time. He belonged to Jatli where his family, including his wife and four-year-old son, live.

Since his body was claimed, the police have not been able to record the statements of Bilal’s mother and wife.

His family was tracked down after a receipt for a motorcycle was found with the bodies along with a purse full of cosmetics. From the receipt, the police had tracked down the dealer who had sold the bike and then the family.

It was also found that the motorcycle had been purchased by Atif.

The police are analysing Bilal’s mobile phone records as well as those of Nosheen’s ex-husbands, which the police believe will help in identifying the killers.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2016