Kasur Woman’s Suicide Leads to Neighbor’s Arrest Over Blackmail and Assault Allegations

By Muhammad Awias :

A 21-year-old woman’s death by suicide in the Allahabad area of Kasur on February 14 has resulted in criminal charges against a neighboring man accused of blackmail and sexual assault, with authorities registering a case of involuntary manslaughter.

The incident has generated significant attention on social media platforms, where users have circulated claims that the woman was on a video call with the accused at the time of her death, and that he witnessed the scene unfold through his phone.

Scene of Tragedy

A seven-year-old child first discovered the body. After knocking on her aunt’s door without response, the child peered through a window and saw her relative hanging from a ceiling fixture.

The frightened youngster ran to her mother and reported seeing “a statue in auntie’s room.”

Family members rushed to the location, forced open the door, and retrieved the woman, but she had already succumbed.

Evidence at the Scene

Investigators found the woman’s mobile device resting on a pillow, positioned in such a way that its camera lens pointed toward the ceiling fan where she had taken her life.

Examination of call records revealed that her final video communication was with a number registered to Aamir Jan, described as both a neighbor and former classmate.

The investigating officer noted that following this last video interaction, the suspect attempted to reach her twice by voice call and twice by video call, but received no response as she had already passed away.

Legal Proceedings

A formal complaint was filed at Allahabad police station by the victim’s brother, Shafqat Ali. The case invokes sections 322 and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Section 322 addresses unintentional death resulting from unlawful actions, carrying penalties of ten years to life imprisonment plus fines. Section 376 deals with sexual assault, a non-bailable offense punishable by ten to twenty-five years incarceration.

According to the complaint, the victim was a student at Punjab College. The complainant alleged that approximately twenty days before her death, while she was home alone, the suspect “entered the residence, sexually assaulted her at gunpoint, and captured videos and photographs on his mobile device before leaving.”

The FIR further states that the suspect subsequently acquired gold jewelry, cash, and a mobile phone by threatening to distribute the visual material across social media platforms.

The document claims the suspect “persistently blackmailed and psychologically tormented the woman, causing her severe mental distress. When we appealed to the suspect’s father to intervene and prevent his son from continuing this harassment through inappropriate images and videos, he responded that his son would persist in his behavior and we were free to take any action we wished.”

The victim, identified as Muzammal Shehzadi, ended her life around 11:15 am on February 14 using her dupatta.

Investigation Progress

Punjab Chief Minister’s Personal Secretary Saima Farooq announced on X that the suspect has been apprehended and remains in custody. His mobile device has been secured and forwarded to the Forensic Science Agency for detailed examination, with continued investigation supervised by the SP Investigation.

District Police Officer Muhammad Isa Khan informed BBC Urdu that when authorities examined the suspect’s phone following his arrest, chat history had already been erased. He characterized this deletion as significant evidence against the suspect, noting that forensic analysis should recover the information.

Khan confirmed that Crime Scene Unit and Punjab Forensic Science Agency personnel collected evidence from the location. However, the victim’s father Muhammad Shafi initially provided a written statement to police indicating his daughter’s death was suicide, describing it as an accidental occurrence and expressing no desire for legal proceedings.

Nevertheless, authorities proceeded under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code, conducting an autopsy and forwarding biological samples to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency in Lahore to ensure comprehensive investigation.

On February 17, the victim’s brother formally requested case registration against the suspect and his father. Police officially registered the matter and established an investigation team led by SP Investigation Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

A police representative stated the suspect would appear before a judicial magistrate on Friday. The suspect’s father has secured pre-arrest interim bail, with court instructions for the suspect to cooperate fully with investigators.

Investigator’s Account

Saeed Sandhu, an investigating officer involved in the case, shared with BBC Urdu that data recovered from the woman’s mobile phone revealed certain communications. According to his account, the woman messaged the suspect requesting return of “gold earrings” he had taken.

He alleged that the suspect had sold these items to purchase a new mobile phone and continued demanding additional jewelry.

The officer noted that the woman and suspect shared history as classmates and neighbors. He further alleged that chat records indicate the suspect demanded money through blackmail, threatening to release objectionable material on social media if payments were not made.

The investigating officer added that preliminary post-mortem findings include a notation that “the woman was not a virgin.”

About Author