RAWALPINDI: A nine-year-old boy was found murdered near his home in Shah Khalid Colony on Wednesday, seven days after he went missing, police said.

Ajmair Khan, the victim’s father, and the police said the body of Naveed Khan, a second grade student, was found lying in the fields not far from the boy’s home after an extensive search involving more than a dozen people.

The boy’s father told Dawn that Naveed left home last Thursday to play in a ground in front of his house. He came back home and then left for the market at about 6pm.

He said when his son did not return, he started a door-to-door search. He even visited the three government hospitals in Rawalpindi and the Edhi centre but to no avail. After failing to trace him, the family sought police help and lodged an FIR with the Airport police.

“We are all heartbroken. Naveed was the youngest among his five brothers and the whole family is devastated,” Mr Khan said.

“The police had been cooperating since they were informed about the missing boy and remained in contact with the family. The station house officer and investigating officer have been extending help even after the boy’s body was found,” he added.

Mr Khan further revealed that Naveed was last seen by his cousin, who worked at a nearby shop and had asked him where he was going. Naveed replied that he was going to buy something from the market.

“Before disappearing, the boy drank a glass of water from a cobbler,” the father said, adding that some CCTV cameras were fixed in the market but were dysfunctional.

“It was my fate, but I just want the killers of my son brought to justice so that other innocent children and their families can be saved in future,” he said.

Superintendent of Police Syed Ali told Dawn that the boy’s body was found from the fields, five metres from his home in Shah Khalid Colony.

The SP said the body bore no obvious signs of trauma, however forensic experts were sent to the scene to collect evidence.

“It would be too early to say whether the boy was subjected to torture before being killed or when he was murdered. The real circumstances in which the boy was killed can only be known after the forensic experts’ report is received,” Mr Ali said.

The SP said the boy was wearing the same clothes he had worn last Thursday. As part of the investigation, the police have started geo-fencing of the area and are trying to ascertain how and when the body of the boy was disposed of in the fields because it was not a deserted area.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019