BAHAWALPUR: Police in Khairpur Tamewali tehsil have claimed that the main suspect accused of desecrating the grave of a young girl in the Masoom locality was killed during an exchange of fire involving his own accomplices in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to an Inayati police spokesperson, the suspect, identified as Abdul Wahid alias Kala, a resident of Basti Sardaran, was hiding along with three accomplices in the ruins of Hamidabad to evade arrest. The group was wanted in connection with a case involving the exhumation of a grave and desecration of the body of a young girl, an incident that had caused outrage in the area.
The spokesperson said a police team conducted a raid at the hideout before dawn after receiving intelligence about the suspects’ presence. Upon seeing the police party, the suspects allegedly opened fire, prompting police to return fire.
“When the firing stopped, Abdul Wahid was found lying critically injured,” the spokesperson said, adding that preliminary investigations suggested he was hit by bullets fired by his own accomplices, who managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Police claimed that during the exchange, a bullet fired by the suspects struck Head Constable Ali Raza. However, the officer remained unharmed as he was wearing a bulletproof jacket at the time of the incident.
Rescue 1122 personnel were called to the scene and provided emergency medical assistance to the injured suspect. Despite efforts to save his life, Abdul Wahid succumbed to his injuries before he could be shifted to a hospital, police said.
Following the incident, police registered a case against the fleeing accomplices under FIR No. 9/26 and launched a search operation to arrest them. Officials said raids were being conducted in nearby areas and investigations were under way to trace the suspects involved in the firing.
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Police added that the motive behind the alleged grave desecration and the condition in which the body was found were still being investigated. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether any forensic or psychological assessments had been carried out to determine the suspect’s intent or possible involvement of others.
Police say suspect’s motive behind the desecration of the grave and the body yet to be probed. https://t.co/mHpho7lDPw
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 15, 2026
The grave desecration incident had drawn condemnation from local residents and civil society members, who had demanded swift action and strict punishment for those responsible. Police maintained that further details would be shared once investigations into both the desecration case and Wednesday’s encounter progressed.
Officials reiterated their commitment to arresting the remaining suspects and completing the probe in accordance with the law.
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