GUJRAT: Jalalpur Jattan Sadar police have initiated process to exhume the body of a married woman, after arresting her husband, who allegedly murdered her with the help of two close relatives, including a brother of his wife, over an “honour-related” issue at Mungowal Sharqi village.

As per police sources, the victim, Raheela was married to Adeel Asghar a few years back.

However, she left her in-laws house in April 2023 and her husband lodged a kidnappingcase against eight suspects with Jalalpur Jattan Sadar police under section 496A in June last year.

The police recovered Raheela and produced her in a court on June 22 the last, where she recorded her statement that she had left her in-laws house on her own will and now she wanted to live with her husband. After her statement, the court allowed her to go with her husband.

Victim’s body to be exhumed; two other relatives booked

However, police say in the light of investigations that she was allegedly murdered by her husband, her brother Fiaz Ahmed and brother-in-law Shafqaat the same (June 22) night, but the family claimed she died of a natural cause to conceal the crime and buried her in the local graveyard.

The police have initiated the legal process for the exhumation of her dead body.

The police have registered a case against the three nominated suspects -- Adeel, victim’s brother Fiaz Ahmed and her brother-in-law Shafqaat -- under sections 302, 311, 201 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the report of Inspector Tanveer Bhatti, Station House Officer of Lalamusa city police.

The police have also arrested the husband of the deceased woman and started investigation, whereas raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining suspects.

A spokesman for Gujrat police says the arrested suspect was now on physical remand, whereas the proceedings for the exhumation of the body and autopsy of the deceased woman had also been launched.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2024