KARACHI - A rickshaw driver shot dead his wife and a young stepdaughter before committing suicide within the limits of Ibrahim Hyderi police station on Wednesday.

45-year-old Ahmed Ali, son of Ataullah, who was a rickshaw driver, opened fire at his wife Surriya Begum, 37, and stepdaughter Ayesha, 15, resulting in their deaths, while wounded another daughter and finally shot himself dead at his home located in Hassan Jutt Ilyas Goth, Korangi. The wounded daughter, eight-year-old Rida, was shifted to the hospital for treatment where doctors termed her condition out of danger.

On hearing gunshots, scores of residents gathered and entered the house after breaking the doors locked from inside and found the victims lying in a pool of blood.  After having been informed, police as well as volunteers from welfare associations also rushed to the spot and shifted the victims to the hospital. The couple and their daughter had died before they could reach the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. SHO Nazeer Chandio said that deceased Ali had contracted second marriage with Surriya about six years back, adding that Surriya had two daughters from her first husband. “Surriya along with her two daughters used to live with Ali at his home,” the officer explained.

He said that both of them had scuffles with each other frequently, adding that Ali hired a pistol from someone and after locking the door from inside, he resorted to indiscriminate firing at his wife and daughters and then shot himself in his head.  Police officials said that the deceased woman had approached the court about one-and-a-half-week ago to get a divorce from her husband over family disputes.

The officer said that Ali had also pressed Surriya not to approach the court.

Police said that the incident occurred when Ali failed to settled his family issues and was unable to convince his wife for reunion.

The deceased woman declined to get on with Ali, which resulted in the incident.

The officer said that police was also thinking to record the statement of the injured stepdaughter of Ali. Police also claimed to have recovered a pistol used in the incident.

The bodies were later handed over to their relatives for burial. Case has been registered while further investigation is underway.

Body bearing torture marks found

On the other side, Pakistan Bazaar police found a body bearing torture marks lying on the footpath of Sector 16, Orangi Town.

Police said that the deceased, Abdul Wahid, had gone missing on Monday when he rushed to market to buy some foodstuff. Police said that unknown assailants had abducted the victim and tortured him to death, and later dumped his body in a footpath. Police have registered the case while handed over the body to family after autopsy. Meanwhile police claimed to have arrested at least 21 persons in various raids and operations conducted across the city besides recovering weapons and narcotics from their possession. Police said that those held included target killers, extortionists, street criminals and drug peddlers.