KARACHI: The man arrested over the deaths of a woman and her three children in Surjani Town allegedly attempted to sexually assault the woman before attacking her with an iron rod when she resisted, West Zone DIG Irfan Baloch said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, the DIG said the suspect, identified as Humayun, allegedly remained inside the family’s house for nearly two hours on the day of the incident, from around 2pm to 4pm.
The bodies of 34-year-old Mehwish and her three children were discovered at their residence in Sector 7-D, Surjani Town, on Monday, prompting police to launch an investigation into the multiple killings.
Baloch said post-mortem examinations showed that all four victims had suffered multiple injuries to the head.
According to the police officer, Humayun, a New Karachi resident associated with the catering business, allegedly travelled to Surjani Town by Qingqi and switched off his mobile phone before reaching the locality.
The suspect allegedly attacked Mehwish with an iron rod after she resisted the attempted assault, the DIG said, adding that the same weapon was allegedly used in the killings.
Baloch said the suspect later discarded the rod in a drain at about 6pm while heading back home. Police were continuing efforts to locate the alleged murder weapon.
The DIG further claimed that Humayun returned to the house after police reached the scene.
He said the suspect allegedly tried to make the incident appear to be a robbery by taking children’s clothes out of a cupboard and scattering them around one of the rooms.
Mehwish’s mobile phone was still missing, Baloch said, describing its recovery as an important part of the investigation. Police suspected that the phone may have been taken from the house following the killings and were examining the circumstances surrounding its disappearance.
Police had initially registered a case against unidentified suspects and launched a detailed probe to establish the motive and identify those responsible.
Investigators have completed geo-fencing of the area and collected call detail records to trace movements and communications around the time of the incident, officials said.
CCTV recordings, fingerprints, blood samples and other evidence gathered from the house were also being examined. Forensic and chemical analysis reports were awaited.
Investigators were also trying to obtain data associated with Mehwish’s SIM card, hoping it would help establish her communications and movements before the killings.
Mehwish and her three children were buried on Tuesday after completion of the required legal and medico-legal procedures.
During the initial stages of the investigation, police had suspected that the attacker might have been familiar with the family. An eight-member investigation team was formed to pursue the case.
The house remained sealed as investigators continued collecting and analysing evidence and working to establish the sequence of events. Police said further investigation was in progress.
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