A married woman, who reportedly eloped on the eve of Eid but returned later the other day, was beaten to death on Monday allegedly by her brother. Her father-in-law also joined him in the beating.
City police said they also hit her sister-in-law, Shazia Bibi,* for allegedly helping her elope. Shazia was taken to the district headquarters hospital, where she was reported to be in critical condition.
Police said Shahida Bibi*, a resident of Azeem Colony and a mother of three, went missing a day before Eid. Some neighbours told her in-laws that they had seen her with a man from the neighbourhood. Police said she returned the next day and said she had gone to visit a cousin.
On Monday, police said, her brother visited her house and said that he had established that she had not visited her cousin that night. He said some one had informed her father-in-law that she had gone with a man. At this, police said, he started beating her. Her father-in-law joined him in the beating.
They then hit her with a brick on the head several times. When her sister-in-law tried to save her, they said, her father-in-law hit her as well. They accused her of “helping her spend a night outside the house without informing her family”.
Shahida Bibi died on the spot. Her sister-in-law was taken to the DHQ hospital, where she was reported to be in critical condition. Doctors treating her said that she had severe head injuries.
A case has been registered against the suspects on the complaint of Shahida Bibi’s husband, who said he was not home when the incident took place.
*The Names Have Been Changed To Protect The Victims’ Identity
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2013.