A picturesque rural town moved by grief; the interior minister requests a report from the district police chief
Sindh Police. PHOTO: FILE
HYDERABAD:
A seven-year-old child, missing for five days, was found dead with her body wrapped in a gunny bag and thrown at the edge of a water dispenser on Sunday.
This horrific incident took place at Baloch Mohalla in Jhalori, a rural town in Shujabad taluka of Mirpurkhas district. Town residents, who protested by closing markets and burning tires, described the incident as nothing short of a nightmare in a peaceful area.
Inspector Inayat Zardari confirmed to the media that the body has been identified as that of seven-year-old Aamna, daughter of Molana Ghulam Haider Kundrani, a prayer leader at a local mosque. The body, spotted by local residents, was shifted to Mirpurkhas Civil Hospital. The initial medical report mentioned torture and rape.
According to Kundrani, it was an ordinary day for him to see his daughter go to school and come back at halftime and then return to school. “Around 2 or 2:30 p.m., a classmate dropped her bag off at our house and we thought maybe she was playing with friends after school,” the dejected father told the media.
Family and neighbors began searching for the child around 4:30 p.m. Kundrani and local residents said they searched every nook and cranny of the small rural town but could not find her. He said a neighbor informed him that he saw his daughter crying outside the school, claiming someone was trying to kill her.
Kundrani accused the police of subjecting him to mental torture instead of making efforts to find the missing child once he reported the case of the missing child. Molana Hafeezur Rehman, a notable personality from Mirpurkhas, also accused the police of criminal negligence.
“We know there are drug addicts and criminals in our society. The police should have made serious efforts to find her instead of procrastinating.” Rehman warned that if the police continued to show the same indifference, they would resort to protests. He urged people to try to feel the pain of a father whose beloved daughter first disappeared for days, and later her corpse was found wrapped in a bag.
The Sindh Home Minister directed SSP Mirpurkhas to provide a detailed briefing on the case and stressed the need for a speedy and thorough investigation. He urged authorities to ensure that all facts are uncovered and to keep him regularly informed of progress.
Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah also personally contacted SSP Mirpurkhas and expressed deep sadness over the incident. He asked the police to prepare a full report and ensure the speedy arrest of those responsible. “It’s a heartbreaking tragedy,” he said. “My heart goes out to the bereaved family and we will ensure justice is served.”
