Sargodha police have officially cleared two individuals previously considered suspects in the murder of six-year-old Muntaha Zahra, stating that CCTV footage proves they were not present at the crime scene during the incident. The development comes as a preliminary investigation report has been submitted to senior authorities, naming Abbas, Azhar, and Arslan as the primary suspects.
Police Statement and Investigation Details
District Police Officer (DPO) Shoaib Ashraf, a seasoned investigator with experience in the Crime Control Department (CCD), confirmed that Hanif and Ahsan have been exonerated based on video evidence. "The inquiry report identifies Abbas, Azhar, and Arslan as the principal suspects in the case while Hanif and Ahsan remain under investigation," Ashraf stated. He added that CCTV footage clearly shows Hanif and Ahsan were not at the scene when the murder occurred.
Police sources have disclosed that 18 forensic samples collected from the crime scene have been dispatched to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) for analysis. These samples include DNA evidence from five suspects, the alleged murder weapon, clothing, and material from walls and doors at the location.
Evidence Against Arslan
Authorities consider the evidence against Arslan, who was killed in an alleged police encounter, to be particularly strong. Key evidence includes bloodstains on his clothing, an injury to his finger, recovery of the alleged murder weapon, and his reported confession. According to the post-mortem report, Muntaha Zahra died after her throat was slit with a sharp-edged weapon. The report also notes a severe head injury resulting in a fractured skull.
Police sources claim that when the child raised an alarm, the suspect allegedly smashed her head against a wall, rendering her unconscious, before slitting her throat. The post-mortem findings corroborate this sequence of events.
Propaganda Videos and Vandalism
Authorities have also recovered alleged propaganda videos from the mobile phones of individuals accused of vandalizing a shop following the incident. The videos are being examined as part of the broader investigation into the case.
