The DPO says the encounter took place when the CCD was taking the main accused to recover the weapon allegedly used in the crime.
SARGODHA:
The prime suspect in the alleged rape and murder of seven-year-old Muntaha Zahra was killed in an encounter in Sargodha on Wednesday, district police spokesperson Khurram confirmed while speaking to The express PAkGazette.
Muntaha had allegedly been raped and murdered inside a grocery store building a day earlier. Police subsequently arrested four suspects and produced them before Senior Civil Magistrate Chaudhry Imran Ali, who took them into police custody for six days for physical questioning. Police officials said preliminary investigations suggested that a store employee had allegedly attempted to assault the girl. When she resisted and raised the alarm, the suspect allegedly killed her.
According to Khurram, the encounter took place when Crime Control Department (CCD) officials were taking the main accused, identified as Arsalan, to recover the weapon allegedly used in the crime.
He said suspected associates of Arsalan opened fire near Jhal Chakian canal bridge while the accused was accompanying the CCD team, leading to an exchange of fire.
“During the exchange of fire, the attackers shot dead Arsalan,” Khurram said.
The spokesman said the alleged attackers managed to flee the scene. “CCD officials have launched an investigation into the incident and are searching for the accused,” he added.
Earlier, police had arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged rape and murder of the minor.
Read more: Four arrested for murder of seven-year-old girl after alleged assault attempt in Sargodha
the murder
Muntaha, a resident of block 8, had left his house to buy sugar from a nearby shop and disappeared, prompting his family to file a police complaint. After receiving the report, the police launched a search operation and reviewed the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area to recover the missing child.
The footage showed Muntaha entering the grocery store but not leaving. Following the tip, law enforcement officers searched the grocery store building and found the boy’s body. Police collected evidence from the crime scene to arrest the suspects.
The city police station registered a case based on the complaint filed by the victim’s father, naming four people, including the main suspect, Arslan.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the main accused, Arslan, had threatened Muntaha’s father during a dispute and had warned him of the consequences that he would remember for life. Police were investigating whether those threats were related to the subsequent crime.
Subsequently, the Sargodha police arrested the main accused, Arslan, along with three other accomplices after a case was registered at the city police station under charges of murder and other relevant legal provisions.
The investigation was then transferred to the CCD.
