LAHORE: Police on Thursday arrested a man for allegedly killing his five-year-old son from his first wife and faked it as kidnapping.

According to police officials, Ahmad Asadullah of Shalimar was arrested for killing his son, Muhammad Ahmad, by drowning him into BRB Canal.

The official said Asadullah had lodged a complaint with Shalimar police station on Aug 17 that he along with his son, Ahmad, went to Baghbanpura market where he left the boy on the bike and went to purchase utensils. He said he found his son missing when he returned.

He said he had searched for the boy everywhere but in vain and claimed that some unidentified person(s) might have kidnapped his son.

Police registered a kidnap case.

On Aug 22, a minor boy was found dead in the BRB Canal in the Mustafabad area, Kasur district.

Shalimar police went to Kasur District Headquarters Hospital and also called the paternal grandfather of Ahmad who identified the boy as his grandson.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Amin Wains took notice of the incident and tasked Civil Lines Superintendent of Police (SP) Ali Raza with investigating the matter.

During investigation, it revealed victim’s father Asadullah did not visit Baghbanpura market and police took him into custody on suspicion of being involved in the death of the boy.

The suspect revealed he had divorced his first wife (Ahmad’s mother) and contracted second marriage with Uzma. He said he also took custody of the boy from his mother. He claimed his second wife gave birth to a boy last month and he started developing thoughts his elder son, Ahmad, might kill his stepbrother over property after growing up. He said he discussed the issue with his second wife, father-in-law Chand Khan and a friend, Akmal.

“They encouraged me to kill my elder son and fake it as a kidnap case”.

He confessed that he took his son on motorcycle to BRB Canal bridge near Nathoki village for outing and when the boy was standing on the bank of the canal, he pushed him into the water where he drowned. He said he later approached Shalimar police to register a kidnap case.

Mughalpura Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Usman Haider said they had developed suspicion when the complainant continuously changed his statements. He said the mobile data showed the complainant had not visited Baghbanpura market which strengthened the police suspicion.

The DSP said police arrested the suspect, his second wife, father-in-law and a friend.

He said the suspect wanted to take advantage of child kidnapping rumours in the city.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2016