KARACHI: The police authorities believe that law student Dua Mangi was kidnapped for ransom.

The young woman was kidnapped by armed men from Bukhari Commercial in the DHA early on Sunday while her friend Haris Fatah Soomro was shot at and wounded.

South Zone DIG Sharjeel Kharal said on Thursday that “it appears to be a case of kidnapping for ransom”. It had been ascertained through investigation that the student was kidnapped for ransom, he said, but did not elaborate. The DIG South was leading different teams of police probing the incident.

According to a Karachi police spokesperson, police were investigating the case from different aspects as more than 12 persons had been questioned.

The police and Citizens-Police Liaison Committee were also probing the incident from the perspective of a past kidnapping case, according to a police statement.

In May, a girl, Ms Bisma, had been kidnapped from DHA and she returned home reportedly after payment of ransom.

Meanwhile, lawyers and members of civil society, students of S.M. Law College and relatives on Thursday held a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club for Dua’s safe recovery.

Dua’s cousin Keenjhar Sindhu told the media that several days had passed, but the authorities had failed to trace her.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2019