Is it a targeted murder or not? Zain Effendi murder probe in dilemma

KARACHI: The murder case of Zain Effendi has become further complicated after initial probe of the high profile case, quoting investigation officials, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Zain Ali Effendi, a grandson of Hassan Ali Effendi, the founder of Karachi’s Sindh Madrasatul Islam, was murdered yesterday by five armed men at his residence near Mazar-e-Quaid.

The investigation facing a dilemma, whether the crime is a targeted murder or having some other cause behind it, probe officials said.

“The house was not robbed in the incident,” investigation officials said. “The assailants after entering the premises inquired servants about the room of Zain Ali Effendi. They entered his room and opened fire,” officials said.

“The killers snatched Effendi’s pistol, cell phone and gold chain of his wife,” according to the investigators. “They might have snatched these items to give an angle of robbery to the crime,” officials opined.

The situation could become clear after a thorough investigation of the crime, investigation officials said.

Police and the counter terrorism department personnel yesterday visited the crime scene to assess the situation prima facie.

Complete geo-fencing of the crime scene has been carried out, police told media, adding that they are probing whether it was a result of random robbery bid or a targeted attack.

The suspects in the case have only taken mobile phone, wallet, and few jewelry items from the deceased, said the police.

Only after analyzing phone calls made by suspects will we build on the investigation on the matter, police said of the geo-fencing data it recovered.

It was reported earlier that unknown armed men had entered residence of Zain Ali Effendi in the wee hours of Wednesday and shot him dead.

According to police officials, five alleged assailants broke into the house of Zain Effendi at 3:25am and remained in house for upto 55 minutes.

The armed men had arrived in a white Corolla car, the police further said.

“They had tied a servant in home with rope and pumped three bullets in the face of the victim,” according to police.