The prime suspect accused of brutally running down an orphaned teenager in Multan met a violent end near Bahawalpur, dying in an alleged shootout after slipping away from police custody. According to Geo News, the dramatic turn of events leaves crucial questions unanswered about how the accused managed to flee authorities in the first place.
The main suspect, Tauqeer Nazir, was killed during an alleged encounter with Punjab's Crime Control Department (CCD) near the Northern Bypass in Bahawalpur, police told Geo News. CCD District Officer Irfan Akbar stated that a police team attempted to stop two men on a motorcycle, leading to an exchange of fire in which Tauqeer was fatally struck by bullets allegedly fired by his fleeing accomplice.
Geo News reported that Tauqeer was previously on a four-day physical remand handed down by a judicial magistrate in Multan. During his court appearance, the suspect was reportedly assaulted by lawyers. Police have not yet explained how he escaped custody or how he traveled to Bahawalpur.
Background
According to Geo News, the case stems from the killing of Waseem Abbas, an orphaned teenager from Muzaffargarh district who had been living at an NGO-run orphanage. Approximately a week prior to his death, Waseem was sent to learn electrical work under Tauqeer. Police stated that the teenager wanted to leave the job due to alleged mistreatment.
CCTV footage showed the boy fleeing his workplace before being chased down and run over by a car. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that Tauqeer and an associate, Amjad, chased the teenager for about one kilometre before the fatal collision. Police initial investigations found no evidence that Waseem was involved in theft. Authorities subsequently registered a murder case under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, detained several orphanage staff members for questioning, and laid Waseem to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Daultpur village.
Why it matters
The incident highlights critical concerns regarding custodial security and the enforcement of the rule of law in criminal proceedings. With the prime suspect killed and his accomplice at large, ordinary observers and local communities are left looking to authorities for complete transparency regarding both the initial tragedy involving an vulnerable orphan and the circumstances of the suspect's escape and subsequent death.