TOBA TEK SINGH: The body of a 12-year-old boy was recovered on Friday from the toilet of a school at Athara Hazari, Jhang.

According to reports, Usman, a student of the Government High School, Machiwal, had gone missing and could not be found by his parents and other locals despite a desperate search. Finally, his body was found in the school’s toilet.

Police sources say that initial investigations show the boy was strangled to death by unknown person(s) after rape. A muffler was found tied around the victim’s neck, thy add.

Police shifted the body to the tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital for an autopsy.

PENALISED: Faisalabad’s special anti-terrorism court handed down life term on two counts and a fine of Rs600,000 each to the three accused in a kidnap-for-ransom and murder case.

The accused – Ijaz, Ashfaq and Usman – had abducted an eight-year-old boy, Hamza, son of Nadeem, from Hajveri Town on Sept 7, demanding Rs2m ransom.

As the boy’s family failed to pay the ransom amount, the accused murdered him.

ATC Judge Muhammad Hussain acquitted two co-accused – Riaz and Mazhar – giving them benefit of doubt in the case.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2023