In a heart-wrenching incident in Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the bodies of two young siblings were recovered from a canal on Thursday. The children were reportedly thrown into the water by their father, prompting a widespread search effort that ultimately failed to locate a third child, as confirmed by a rescue official.
Sardar Najam Sadozai, the District Emergency Officer (DEO) of Mirpur, indicated that divers from Rescue-1122 were actively engaged in the mission to recover the body of the third child from the Khari Sharif canal. However, later updates revealed that rescue operations had been suspended without any success in finding the missing child.
The Khari Sharif canal, which is fed by the Jhelum River, runs through the border area between Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Mirpur and the Mangla Dam canal situated in Punjab’s Jhelum district.
Investigation and Arrest of Suspect
In connection with this tragic event, the Jhelum District Police Officer (DPO), Shafiq Chaudhry, announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be the father of the children involved. Reports suggest that he had allegedly thrown his three kids—a son and two daughters—into the canal.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspect struggled with addiction and had a tumultuous relationship with his wife, who had been living at her parental home. DPO Chaudhry indicated that the police were examining all aspects of the case to determine the events leading to the children’s disappearance.
According to police statements, the suspect admitted to the crime after his wife raised concerns about their children’s whereabouts. He had taken the children out, supposedly for leisure, but failed to return home, causing alarm for the family.
Details of the Incident
The complainant, the mother of the children, provided a detailed account of the day leading up to the tragedy. She mentioned that on September 15, at around 6 PM, she and her brother had taken the children to visit the Pir Bhechan Darbar. During their return, her brother stopped at a bakery on Mangla Road in Dina, and while she went inside to purchase some items, the suspect approached her brother.
Claiming he was heading to the City Housing Society and would take the children to a park, the suspect persuaded her brother to hand over the kids. Shortly after, both she and her brother grew anxious about the children’s absence.
When attempts were made to contact the suspect via phone, it was discovered that his mobile was turned off. The worried mother and her brother searched for the children but to no avail, leading to the eventual police report.
