ISLAMABAD: The paternal grandfather of an eight-year-old girl and his second wife were arrested on the charge of murdering the child.

The circumstances surrounding the death are still unknown, police said, adding that the suspects were arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother.

The victim was identified as Fatima who lived with her paternal grandfather in Bhara Kahu. People of the area informed police about Fatima’s death and requested them to investigate the matter.

According to the victim’s grandfather, she died after falling from the roof of the house. However, his neighbours told police that the victim’s step grandmother would regularly subject her to torture. They said a few months ago, the girl was badly beaten by her step grandmother, which resulted in both her arms getting fractured.

Police took custody of the body and shifted it to Polyclinic for autopsy to ascertain the real circumstances behind her death.

A police officer told Dawn that severe injuries and marks of torture were found on the child’s body and foam was oozing out of her mouth.

There is a possibility that she was either tortured or poisoned to death, the officer said.

Police said after the death of Fatima’s father, her mother shifted to her brother’s house in Mardan along with the child.

Later, Fatima’s paternal grandfather forcefully took her to Islamabad to live with him after the death of her maternal grandfather, police said, adding that in 2020, the victim’s mother got married again and moved to Rawalpindi.

During this time, Fatima’s paternal grandmother died and her grandfather got married again, police said.

Published in Dawn,May 3rd, 2022