LAHORE – A drug addict is still at large after torturing his 85-year-old father to death and dumping the body at their small house in the Sabzazar police precincts, investigators revealed on Monday.
Police sources disclosed to The Nation that the killer had also murdered his mother a few years ago in a similar style but the old man, fearing death sentence for the crime, had not reported the case to the police against his only son.
The old man, later identified as Muhammad Hussain, was recovered dead from the bedroom as the investigators stormed into the three-Marla house located near the shrine of Shah Fareed in the Sabzazar area. The police rushed to the crime following Muhammad Iqbal, a nephew of the deceased, disclosed the happening to them.
“The body was decomposed and there were also torture marks on the different parts (of the body). We have removed it to the morgue for autopsy,” Investigation Officer, SI Muhammad Riaz told this reporter by phone.
Iqbal along with his relatives visited the house situated in the poor but densely populated locality to meet his uncle in routine. “As we broke open the door and entered the house (26-BF in the Saidpur area), we noticed fresh mud under the bed of the old man, who was missing,” a police officer quoted the complainant as telling the investigators.
The local residents also gathered on the spot and started digging. When the relatives of the old man noticed the foul smell emitting from the ground, they immediately contacted the police.
The police reached the crimes scene instantly and removed the body to the morgue. “The body was badly decomposed, indicating that the old man was dumped in the ground some 10 to 12 days ago,” says Sub Inspector Muhammad Riaz.
The local residents told the police that the addict had strangled his mother a few years ago but the father had not reported to the matter to the police as the woman was buried at a local graveyard covertly. “Had the old man reported the murder of his wife to the police, the investigators would have been able to prevent his killing by brining the culprit to justice,” Riaz claimed.
According to the local residents, the old man had great love and affection for his son despite the addict used to assault him to grab money for narcotics purchase.
Police investigators believe that the addict tortured his father to death and later dumped the dead body under the bed top conceal the killing.
Preliminary investigations suggested that the son murdered the old man to become the only owner of the three-Marla house that he wanted to sell but the father was the main hurdle in his way.
“We are conducting raids to arrest the ruthless killer,” investigators said. The police have also registered the murder case on the complaint of Iqbal, nephew of the deceased. Further investigations were underway.
Suicide: A 28-year-old youth committed suicide by swallowing poisonous pills in the Sundar area, police said. Investigators believed that the unemployed man, identified as Muhammad Javed, was facing severe financial constraints for the last several months.
On the day of incident, he swallowed poisonous pills at his house situated at the Multan Road and was rushed to the Jinnah Hospital, where died later. The police are investigating.