ISLAMABAD: A teenage boy was arrested for his alleged involvement in his roommate’s murder in a hostel, police said on Friday.

On Nov 5, Ahmed Majeed, a native of Rawalpindi and a class 7 student of a seminary affiliated with an orphanage, was found murdered on the rooftop of a hostel in H-13. Majeed and his 16-year-old roommate, who was a student of class 8, were found missing from their room on Nov 5.

A search was conducted which led to the recovery of Majeed’s body, police said. A noose was found around his neck while his hands were tied with a rope. Marks of violence were also detected on the head and face of the victim.

The Shams Colony police shifted the body to the hospital and started an investigation after registration of a case.

SHO Inspector Asjad Altaf and in-charge homicide unit Inspector Tassaduq Shah under the supervision of Subdivisional Police Officer Ghulam Baqar examined the CCTV footage of the hostel which showed both the victim and his roommate climbing the rooftop.

Later, only the deceased’s roommate is seen coming down from the rooftop. Other students told the police that the suspect was asking about the law and punishment to a juvenile who commits a murder.

Inspector Shah said details of the roommate were collected from the hostel which showed that he was a native of Bagh in Azad Kashmir and his family was settled at Peshawar Road. Later, the boy was arrested from the house and produced before court. The court gave the suspect in police custody on physical remand.

During interrogation, the suspect told the police that he had a dispute with the victim over a pant. He said he washed his pant and put it on the rooftop which was taken by the victim.

The suspect said he asked Majeed to return his pant but he refused saying it belonged to him. They engaged in a brawl during which the suspect killed him.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2019