The bodies of a woman and her three children have been found hanging inside a house near Machhar Colony in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth on Sunday, police have confirmed.
After the incident was reported, a crime scene unit went to the house, Sohrab Goth police have said. Evidence has been gathered from the scene and investigation is underway.
The remains were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for a post-mortem examination, according to police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed. The children were 10, three, and two years old, while their mother’s age was determined to be around 35.
“We have collected all samples for chemical analysis,” Dr Syed said, adding that the cause of death has been reserved until laboratory reports are received.
There were no indications of a conflict within the home, Zubair Nazir Shaikh, East Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), has states. Neighbors did not report hearing any arguments or disturbances during the incident, he continued.
“The husband told police that he works at the New Subzi Mandi and had left for work around 4am,” SSP Shaikh said. “When he returned several hours later, he found his wife and three children dead.”
The SSP said police were waiting for autopsy reports before drawing any conclusions. “It would be premature at this stage to reach any final conclusion,” he said.
According to Sohrab Goth Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aurangzeb Khattak, preliminary findings indicated that the woman killed the children before taking her own life. He claimed that the issue seemed to be related to domestic problems.
“The woman was an Afghan national, while her husband originally belonged to Punjab,” DSP Khattak said. He added that the woman was reportedly emotionally disturbed and allegedly used to beat the children.
The husband had admitted to authorities that there had previously been disagreements between the couple. “Her husband sometimes, in a fit of anger, used to threaten her that he would marry another woman if she did not stop beating the children,” the DSP narrated.
The officer clarified that the husband has not been taken into custody but is being questioned as part of the investigation. “The man told police that when he returned from his job and knocked on the door, there was no response,” DSP Khattak said. “He then climbed the wall and saw the bodies hanging inside the room.”
Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took notice of the event and requested a report from the East SSP, according to a statement released by his office. He asked police authorities to look into the situation from all sides.
“The reasons behind the incident should be identified, and suspects should be dealt with in accordance with the law,” Lanjar was quoted as saying.
He also instructed officials to ensure a transparent investigation and identify those responsible.