RAWALPINDI: A woman and her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter were found dead in their residence in Awan Colony on Tuesday night.

Marks of torture were found on the deceased woman’s body, identified as Hina. Initial autopsy report showed that the woman had died three days ago while the child passed away around noon on Tuesday.

The incident came to light after the victim’s father, Mian Mohammad Ishfaq, visited her house as she had not been responding to his phone calls and discovered the decomposed bodies of his daughter and granddaughter.

Mr Ishfaq alleged that his son-in-law murdered his daughter and granddaughter.

“My son-in-law used to torture my daughter and insult her for not giving birth to a son, while his mother and sisters would incite him to ask his wife to buy a house for them, Mr Ishfaq stated in the FIR. He said he used to help the couple financially as well.

He informed the police that his other two daughters tried to contact Hina on Friday and Monday but she did not respond while the suspect’s mobile phone was switched off.

Mr Ishfaq got in touch with the suspect’s family members but they were not able to get the suspect on the phone with him.

He said he and his son reached his daughter’s house and saw the suspect’s family members and neighbours standing outside her house. When they went inside, they found her lying dead on her bed with her face smashed and the baby’s body in another room.

The investigating officer told Dawn that the suspect, a grade 17 officer in the IT department, was infected with Covid-19 and was in hospital.

During investigation, the suspect said his wife had died due to a gas leak, even though he was in the house when the bodies were recovered.

“The real cause of the deaths will be known after the forensic report is received; however, the police have registered a murder case against the man,” the officer said.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2021