A newlywed 18-year-old girl was found dead in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area while the police detained her relatives for their suspected involvement for interrogation, officials said on Tuesday.

“The girl was married to a government employee deputed at Malir Cantonment; she was found dead at the rooftop of a building in Badar Commercial in Phase 5,” South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.

The senior officer added that a dupatta was knotted around her neck twice.

She was immediately taken to a private clinic in DHA and later to a hospital in Clifton, where doctors pronounced her dead. Subsequently, DIG Raza detailed, her body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for legal proceedings.

The couple had arrived in Karachi from Sialkot two weeks ago and was residing at an aunt’s house in the Badar Commercial area.

According to details shared by the DIG, the girl reportedly went to the rooftop on Monday evening and did not return.

When her aunt went upstairs, she found the girl unconscious near a water tank with her neck knotted with a dupatta. She called her son and went to the hospital.

The father of the deceased girl (who is also a government employee) arrived at JPMC on Monday night and alleged that it was a murder by strangulation.

“The aunt’s sons are found suspects in this case and detained for interrogation,” said the senior officer.

The South police head said they are waiting for the doctors’ final report.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn, “We have strong suspicions about sexual violence,” adding that all samples have been collected. She said the cause of death was constriction of the neck.