BAHAWALPUR: The Musafir Khana police have recovered the body of a 12-year-old boy from a graveyard in Goth Mehro, around 30 kilometers from the city.

The authorities suspect the victim was murdered following a sexual assault.

The victim, identified as Muhammad Javed, son of Abdul Hamid, went missing on the night of March 7 after leaving home to buy candies. Following an unsuccessful search, his father registered an abduction case (FIR No. 151/26) under Section 363 of the PPC against a suspect named Muhammad Arsalan on March 9.

Despite the initial abduction report, the boy remained missing until his body was discovered hidden in bushes within the village graveyard on Tuesday.

Upon receiving the report, DPO Bahawalpur Rana Abdul Wahab arrived at the scene with a forensics team and the crime scene unit. After evidence was collected for laboratory analysis, the body was shifted to a hospital for a postmortem examination.

PRO Kashif stated that while the killer remains at large, multiple police teams have been deployed to track the culprit. Following the autopsy, the body was handed over to his parents, who have demanded the immediate arrest of the culprit.

CCD: The Crime Control Department (CCD) claimed to have arrested two drug peddlers in injured condition after an encounter at McDonald Chowk near the Sutlej on Tuesday.

According to a press release, a CCD team during night patrolling in the riverian areas near Bahawalpur city spotted three suspects on a motorcycle and ordered them to surrender for identification. But the suspects allegedly opened firing on CCD officials, who also retaliated. After the firing stopped, two out of three suspects were found lying in injured condition along a road from where they were arrested.

They were identified as ice and heroin dealers Nadir alias Nadiri and Tariq alias Latoo involved in 28 and six drug cases, respectively.

The CCD officials claimed to have recovered 300 grams of ice heroin from their possession and shifted them to hospital for treatment. The CCD officials said that a case against their third accomplice, who fled away under the cover of darkness, has been registered and teams chased him for his arrest.

FUEL HOARDING: Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur Syed Hassan Raza in a meeting with petroleum dealers on Tuesday warned them of severe legal action against hoarding or mismanagement in the distribution of petrol at their filling stations across the district.

According to a handout, the DC ordered them to ensure smooth and regular supply of petrol to the motorists and motorcyclists without any disruption. He also asked them to maintain regular records of the petrol and diesel storage capacity.

He issued instructions to all the assistant commissioners to monitor the petrol situation in their respective tehsils and take strict action against any profiteer petrol pump dealer in their areas.

The petroleum dealers assured the DC of cooperation with the administration in the regular supply to the consumers without any illegal activity on their behalf.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026