Zubair Qureshi
The body samples of the woman constable who died under mysterious circumstances on Saturday, March 19 were sent to the Punjab Forensic Laboratory to ascertain whether she was poisoned or not.
Though the Islamabad police have not made any breakthrough in resolving the murder mystery, yet the investigation team comprising SPs investigation and city zone, assistant sub-divisional police officers of Sihala and Secretariat, SHOs of Aabpara and female police stations and an investigating officer believe they will reach some conclusion in next 48 hours.
Mystery shrouded the death of the constable and according to the police sources the victim on the day of her death, had arrived at the house of the ITP SP Arif Shah who is allegedly linked to her murder. There, her condition deteriorated, and she was rushed to the hospital where she died.
Mr Shah has been suspended and made part of the investigation, though he has claimed innocence. A murder case was also registered on the recommendation of the investigation team.
According to a notification issued by the office of chief commissioner Islamabad, the SP was closed to central police office (CPO) with immediate effect until further orders.
The lady constable’s death was kept hidden for hours, they said, adding the body was removed from the hospital to a graveyard for last rites and later brought to the SP’s house from where arrangements were made to transport it to Karachi via flight.
The police got information from the hospital about her unnatural death and when it reached the SP’s house, it was about to be transported to the airport, the sources said.
According to the FIR, the initial autopsy report of the policewoman suggested that she was poisoned, it added. Samples were taken from her body and sent to Lahore for forensic and chemical examination tests for detection of actual cause of death, the sources said, adding that the final autopsy report of the victims is awaited.
The Investigation of the case depends on this final report, they said, adding if it was confirmed that she was poisoned then it would be investigated.
In the meantime, statements of the SP and other people related to the incident, including those who transported her to the hospital after her condition deteriorated will be recorded. Besides, collection of technical evidence is also in progress including geo-fencing, they said.
The SP was transferred to the CPO on the recommendation of an inquiry team, which raised suspicions over the events and the officer’s role and actions, the sources said.
When asked if the family of the deceased lady constable Iqra, was willing to pursue the case, the senior police officer replied, “The family was in a state of shock and it is Islamabad IGP Ahsan Younas who had constituted a committee of senior officers of the police to probe the matter and bring the culprit(s) to the book.
