The bodies of three missing females have been recovered from a pond in Dinga town, Gujrat district, a day after they went missing on Tuesday. The deceased have been identified as 21-year-old Arooj Fatima, her two-year-old daughter Rakoo Fatima, and her 15-year-old sister Haleema Sadia.
According to the police, the incident came to light after Shaukat Ali, a resident of Mohallah Mai Da Dera, filed a complaint at the Dinga police station regarding missing family members. Ali stated in his complaint that his daughters, Arooj and Haleema, along with his minor granddaughter, left their home at around 11:30 AM on August 25. They were heading to the Chargah Lokri locality to inform Arooj’s in-laws about the death of a relative.
Ali told the police that the victims failed to reach their destination and did not return home. Suspecting that unidentified individuals had kidnapped them, Ali requested legal action, after which the police registered a case and initiated an investigation.
On Wednesday, Dinga Rescue 1122 received information about bodies floating in a pond located in an open field. Rainwater had accumulated in the field, turning it into a pond. Police and rescue teams arrived at the site and retrieved the three bodies from the water.
Authorities shifted the bodies to the Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) Hospital in Kharian for an autopsy. A team from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) also arrived at the scene to collect physical evidence.
Following the recovery, Gujrat District Police Officer (DPO) Faisal Shahzad, Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Hafiz Imtiaz Ahmed, and Kharian Assistant Commissioner Ahmed Shair visited the site to inspect the area.
District Police Officer (DPO) Faisal Shahzad offered condolences to the grieving family, vowing that the police would investigate the matter from all angles on merit.
A spokesperson for the Gujrat Police stated that initial investigative findings indicate the deaths occurred due to drowning. Further police investigations are underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a similar incident, the body of a nine-year-old girl who went missing from Ayub Colony was found floating in a pond near a hotel on the Larkana-Naudero road in Larkana.
The victim’s father informed the Haidri police station after the minor failed to return home from buying items nearby. Station House Officer (SHO) Pervaiz Abro stated that police and relatives searched the area before locals spotted the body.
Police Surgeon Dr. Saleem Shaikh indicated initial findings suggested asphyxia caused the death alongside suspected attempted rape, though Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tanveer Hussain Tunio stated the post-mortem report confirmed asphyxia with no signs of rape.
Following the recovery, forensic teams gathered fingerprints and the victim’s footwear from the crime scene while police reviewed local CCTV footage.
Investigators used sniffer dogs to search a nearby house, which the occupants had vacated prior to the raid. SSP Tunio assured the family that law enforcement would apprehend the perpetrators. Police have registered an FIR [First Information Report] regarding the murder and detained six suspects for questioning as investigations continue.
