HYDERABAD: Family members of an army soldier, Farhan Lashari, held a press conference in the local press club on Monday to demand a fair probe into his death and provision of justice to them. They alleged that Farhan was murdered by his wife and in-laws who were arrested but police later let them off after declaring the matter an accidental death.

The soldier’s paternal uncle, Ali Asghar Lashari, and younger brother, Zaman Lashari, told reporters that Farhan’s wife, her brother, father and mother were arrested but released after 13 days.

Giving details of the incident, they said Farhan lived in the Sasti Basti locality of Muslim Town in Kotri. He was posted in Mardan and was on a visit to his family during vacations in the last week of October. They said that on the fateful day, Farhan was staying with his in-laws.

His father-in-law took him to the rooftop and soon afterwards the sound of a gunshot was heard. Farhan was taken to the taluka hospital in Kotri where he died on Nov 4, they added. They demanded arrest of the suspects and a fair trial.

Meanwhile, Jamshoro SSP Irfan Bahadur told this reporter that the investigation of the case was conducted by an able police officer, Siraj Lashari, who found the incident to be an accident. He said the gun being handled by Farhan went off accidentally and caused him a fatal wound.

During the press conference, Zaman Lashari whipped out a bottle containing petrol and sprinkled the liquid over his body with intention to immolate himself in protest against “denial of justice” in the case.

However, people present there prevented him from committing suicide.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2017