KARACHI: Police have revealed disturbing details in the kidnapping and murder of six-year-old Muhammad Wali in Karachi’s Lea Market area, saying the prime suspect attempted to mislead investigators by actively participating in the search for the missing child.
According to police, Wali was abducted from outside his home on Monday evening. His body was later recovered after being thrown from the third floor of a residential building in an attempt to dispose of the evidence.
Speaking to reporters, SHO Napier Police Station Arif Tanoli said the suspect, identified as Hamza, approached police after the child’s disappearance and claimed he could help trace the kidnappers.
“The suspect remained with the victim’s family during the search operation and tried to divert the investigation,” the SHO said. Acting on information provided by Hamza, police conducted raids in Sultanabad and Gizri, but every lead proved to be false.
Tanoli said police had launched an extensive search operation, including house-to-house searches with the assistance of lady police personnel, to locate the missing child.
According to the investigation, the suspect initially concealed the child’s body inside a cupboard. However, when he realised police suspicion was narrowing in on him, he threw the body from the upper floor of the building in an attempt to remove evidence. He later confessed to the crime during interrogation, the SHO added.
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DIG South Asad Raza said the accused was a neighbour of the victim. Preliminary investigations indicate that the child was sexually assaulted before being murdered. The suspect has been arrested and further investigation is underway.
The victim’s sister also told ARY News that Hamza had volunteered to help search for Wali after his disappearance and repeatedly assured the family that he would find the missing child.
The gruesome incident has sparked outrage in the area, with residents demanding the death sentence for the suspect.