Couple Poisoned After Marriage Against Parents' Wishes
In a tragic incident in Taxila late Friday night, a man died and his wife fell seriously ill after the woman's father forced them to consume poison for contracting a marriage of their own free will. The Taxila police confirmed that the wife's life was saved due to their timely intervention after receiving a 15 emergency call. The suspects were arrested following a shootout with the police, during which one suspect was injured.
Police Response and Rescue
A police spokesperson stated that upon receiving the emergency call, officers reached the scene and found the couple in a semi-conscious condition. As soon as the suspects saw the police, they opened fire. The police arrested all four suspects involved and recovered weapons from their possession. The couple was immediately shifted to the hospital, where Muhammad Afzal, also known as Abdul Rehman, succumbed to the poison. The exact cause of death will be determined after a post-mortem examination. The police noted that due to their swift response and transfer to the hospital, the life of Mariam Bibi, Afzal's wife, was saved. She remains under medical treatment.
Father's Account of the Incident
Gulzar Khan, the father of deceased Afzal, told the police that he hailed from Hangu district. His son had contracted marriage with Mariam, daughter of Niaz Ameen, a relative of the complainant, against the will of their parents some three months ago. Gulzar said that Niaz had registered a criminal case against them under Section 496-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which penalizes enticing, taking away, or detaining a woman with the intent of illicit intercourse. Gulzar further explained that he and his family started searching for Afzal. A few days ago, he learned that his son and his wife were living in Dhoke Wajan in Taxila. On July 10, he along with two relatives reached Taxila from Hangu. As they were trying to convince Afzal to return to their hometown at about 10:45 pm, Niaz along with three other men armed with pistols barged into the house.
Details from the FIR
Gulzar stated in the First Information Report (FIR): “The armed men held us at gunpoint. Niaz said to me that he would teach a lesson to my son for eloping with his daughter and dishonouring him. The armed men tied us with a rope. They overcame Mariam and Niaz made her drink poison. They also held my son at gunpoint and forced him to drink the poison.” In the meantime, the police arrived at the spot. The armed men tried to escape while opening fire on the police. One of the armed men, identified as Riaz, a resident of Orakzai district, was wounded. The police managed to arrest all four men from the spot.
Medical Treatment and Ongoing Investigation
The police said that the poisoned couple was shifted to Tehsil Headquarter Hospital for treatment. Afzal died in the hospital, while Mariam was reported to be in a stable condition. The police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
