Man held for ‘poisoning’ minor stepsister

The Korangi Industrial Area police on Thursday arrested a man for allegedly killing his minor stepsister by poisoning her.

The police said three-year-old Ayesha died under mysterious circumstances at her house in Mehran Town a couple of days ago. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where the doctors confirmed that she had been poisoned to death. Her mother Shahzadi claimed that she was not at home when the incident took place. She claimed that a male guest, Asghar, who had arrived from Balochistan, the victim’s stepbrother, Ghulam Nabi, and a woman had poisoned her daughter to death.

The police were unable to trace Asghar and the woman; however, they arrested Nabi as he was nominated in the FIR. He denied his involvement in the incident and told the police that he had found the family members unconscious when he arrived at his father's house to visit him. He then took them to the hospital where Ayesha was pronounced death by doctors. The police said they were waiting for the chemical examination report. Further investigation is under way.

Four arrested

Police on Thursday claimed to have arrested four members of a group linked with the Lyari gang war. The officials said the members of the Saleem Chocolate gang who were wanted by the police in several criminal cases were arrested during a raid in the Shahrah-e-Noorjahan area.

Police said that high-profile suspects, namely Naeem Bikik, Nadeem Imran and Zakir, were among the arrested men, adding that four kilogrammes of hashish was also recovered from their possession.

The officials said the gang was involved in cases of terrorism, target killings and kidnappings for ransom, adding that they had also been arrested in the past. Police said they were involved in various cases of extortion as well.

The officials added that the arrested men had killed several people on the instructions of Saleem Chocolate and had been running a drugs network in Karachi.