Girl’s body exhumed

SUKKUR: The grave of Gul Shama suspected to have been murdered under the odious tribal, honour crimes was exhumed in the presence of judicial magistrate Agha Imran Imran on Wednesday.

Gul Shama, who was subjected to killing in the most horrible and crude manner by being stoned to death and swiftly buried, stirred widespread condemnation amidst calls for police and judicial intervention. The parents of the girl and the prayer leader who led the funeral prayers were subsequently arrested and an FIR was registered.

Following the exhumation of the grave on Wednesday, the body was taken for postmortem by a medical board constituted by the DG Health. The DIG and commissioner, Hyderabad, were also present during the exhumation process. The Medical Superintendent LUMS Hospital Dr Syed Qurban Ali Shah, who is also the head of the Medical Board, said the viscera was sent to a Karachi lab for detailed examination. Detailed medical tests and examination and medical investigations would conclusively establish if the deceased was stoned to death, he said.

Dr Shah said some of the lab reports would be available in four days, while others would take a longer time. Besides the team leader, the board comprises Dr.Waheed Ahmed, Dr. Abdul Aziz and Dr. Nusrat Zia. The DIG and Commissioner Hyderabad also visited the girl’s village, met the tribals and other “people of interest” to investigate the circumstances surrounding the girl’s murder.

Meanwhile, the medical board in its preliminary post mortem report has confirmed the death to have been caused by heavy objects, probably stones that smashed and fractured parts of skull, jaw and even nose. Some of these fractures might have been the cause of girl’s death, the doctors in their initial assessment reported. The doctors said the ‘posterior part of her skull bore serious damages than the anterior one.’ The board has established the girl’s age to be around nine years.

The Wahi Pandhi Police in Dadu on Wednesday secured a further three-day physical remand of the arrested father Ali Bakhash Rind, mother Laila and Moulvi Mumtaz from the court after the completion of the initial three-day remand.