LAHORE, Aug 3: Chuhng police registered a murder case on Wednesday against a factory owner and his seven employees for allegedly torturing a 42-year-old man to death for ‘stealing’ tyres.

Police said suspects killed Muhammad Nazir on the factory premises late on Tuesday and fled after leaving the body in a pick-up near the Jinnah Hospital’s morgue.

Chuhng Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Riaz told Dawn that they received a call about the suspicious death on Wednesday night and later came to know that Nazir, of Suzu Water Park locality, was thrashed brutally by Waqas Butt, ownerof Pak Star (auto-rickshaw manufacturing), and his employees, including two security guards.

He said Waqas suspected that Nazir, driver with Alfalah Factory at Harbanspura, who used to supply spare parts to Pak Star, had stolen tyres from his workshop.

The SHO said initial medical examination suggested that Nazir was brutally tortured with repeated strikes of iron rods and then injuries to his abdomen led to his instant death. He said police found the factory and residences of the suspects locked.

Complainant Muhammad Hafeez, younger brother of Nazir, told Dawn that his brother, father of five, had left for job on Tuesday morning. He said two employees of Alfalah Factory came to their house at 8pm and informed them Nazir had beenhospitalised after his condition had been deteriorated.He said he left with the Nazir’s colleagues for Jinnah Hospital, but failed to find him there. Hafeez said he then visited Pak Star after 12am and found the factory locked. There he came to know that thebody of his brother was sent to Jinnah Hospital by a pick-up.

He said the factory owner and his employees had violently beat his brother, adding that he would pursue the case against the accused without striking a bargain with them.

He said the management of Alfalah Factory, where his brother was employed, also refuted the allegation of Pak Star owner that Nazir stole tyres.

“We want is justice and not any financial deal worth few thousands offered to the family,” Hafeez said. He said they had lodged their protest near Simla Hills around 3pm, demanding the immediate arrest of culprits.

Police handed over the body to the family who buried him at Fatehgarh graveyard.