LAHORE: Police have made a major breakthrough in the investigation into the discovery of a headless body wrapped in a sheet and a sack at a vacant plot in Badami Bagh, Lahore. The victim has been identified as Muhammad Shafiq, while police claim to have arrested the prime suspect within 24 hours of the crime.
According to SP Investigation Farhat Abbas, the victim belonged to Nowshera Virkan in Gujranwala district and was living in Lahore to earn a livelihood through daily-wage work. Police said an identity card recovered from the crime scene was found to belong to the victim’s stepbrother, rather than the victim himself.
Suspected Attempt to Mislead Police After the Murder
According to police officials, the victim’s head had been severed from his body, which also bore signs of torture. Investigators believe the suspect allegedly left a copy of his stepbrother’s identity card at the crime scene after the murder in an attempt to mislead investigators and implicate him in the case.
Officials said Muhammad Shafiq Arain was murdered in Badami Bagh. The suspect allegedly severed the victim’s head and other body parts and dumped them at different locations in Muridke. The body was subsequently placed in a sack and dumped at a vacant plot.
Victim Was a Father of Three
Police said Shafiq was the father of three children and worked as a daily-wage labourer in Lahore. His son, Muhammad Nauman, identified his father’s body at the morgue.
SP Investigation Farhat Abbas said the suspect was apprehended through professional investigative techniques and human intelligence. Police also recovered the victim’s head and body parts on the suspect’s identification, officials said.
Property Dispute Emerges as Possible Motive
According to police, the initial investigation has also pointed to a possible property dispute. Officials allege that the suspect wanted to implicate his stepbrothers in the murder case to further his interests in the property. The victim and the suspect were related to each other, police said.
Meanwhile, forensic experts and the crime scene unit collected evidence and fingerprints from the crime scene. Police said the body was shifted to the morgue for a post-mortem examination, while investigators continue to examine all aspects of the case.
