Seven of family put to death over property dispute in Punjab
Pakistan Times National News Desk

FAISALABAD: Seven of a family including four women were butchered to death after intoxicating them in Chak 653/4 of Lundianwala police area, tehsil Jaranwala in the wee hours of Saturday.

Giving details of the gruesome incident, SP Sadar Jaranwala Tauqeer Hayat said the police had nabbed the accused Muhammad Azam, resident of Anwarabad, Street No.5 of Jaranwala, who was cousin and brother-in-law of the deceased Rafiq.

Poisoned sweetmeat

He said the deceased had a property dispute over just 3.5 acres of agriculture land. Last night he allegedly brought poisoned sweetmeat, ostensibly as a reconciliation gesture and served it to the ill-fated family.

Members of the family fell unconscious on eating the sweets, after which the accused cut the throatsof the victims with a razor. When the razor broke, he allegedly took a knife from the house and continued his deadly mission.

The Victims

The dead include Malik Muhammad Rafiq, his son Abdul Shakoor (18), Ali Hussain son of Sardar (5), Bashiran Bibi wife of Rafiq (sister of the accused), Sardaran Bibi daughter of Sharif, Bushra Bibi wife of Muhammad Shafique and one-year old baby Amina Shafiq.

Four persons who had taken the sweets but had later locked their room from inside remained alive and unhurt, however, they were also under the effect of the drug. They were identified as Muhammad Shafiq, Akbari, Rubina and Muhammad Saeed Saleem.

SP Sadar said that the police had the alleged murderer in their custody and had recovered the weapon used in the gory incident.●