TOBA TEK SINGH: A man allegedly died from suicide on Friday after poisoning to death his wife and brutally killing his three young daughters for failing to pay debt at Chak 271-RB, Bharollaywala, in the precincts of Dijkot police station in Faisalabad districts.

As per the police, Tahir (50) first gave poison to his three daughters — Raeesa (18), Hibbah (16) and Zohra Fatima (11) — and when they fell unconscious, smashed their heads with a hammer, resulting in their death.

Later, he killed his wife by poisoning her and also took poison himself.

The horrible incident got revealed when some of Tahir’s relatives, who lived nearby, visited his house by chance and found him lying unconscious and his other family members dead.

They immediately called police who shifted Tahir to the Allied Hospital, where he too expired after remaining under treatment for a few hours.

According to the police, a two-page letter, purportedly written by Tahir, was found near the bodies in which he stated that he decided to kill himself and his four family members after he failed to return amounts totalling up to Rs265,000, he had borrowed from different people because of financial crisis.

Faisalabad City Police Officer (CPO) retired Capt Muhammad Ali Zia visited the crime scene and condoled the deaths with Tahir’s relatives.

Investigation SSP retired Capt Muhammad Ajmal and Iqbal Division SP Usman Munir Saifi also accompanied the CPO.

‘ROBBERS’ KILLED: Two alleged robbers were killed during an “encounter” with police near Chak 70 JB, Mullanwala in Thikriwala police station area, Faisalabad.

According to police officials, the suspects identified as Talal and Saleem, along with their two unidentified accomplices, were trying to flee after looting people.

On receiving information about the crime, a police party chased the suspects who opened indiscriminate fire on policemen.

The police say they returned the fire and after the firing stopped, both Talal and Saleem were found dead.

The police say the two deceased suspects belonged to Jaranwala and were wanted in more than one dozen cases of robbery.

Police claim that the suspects died after receiving bullets fired by their own fleeing accomplices.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2023