Gujrat: A tragedy has gripped the town of Dinga after police recovered the bodies of a woman, her toddler daughter, and her teenage sister from a rainwater pond, three days after they vanished while en route to a relative’s house. The deceased have been identified as 21 year old Arooj Fatima, her two year old daughter Rakoo Fatima, and her 15 year old sister Haleema Sadia.
According to authorities, the trio had left their home in the Mohallah Mai Da Dera neighbourhood at approximately 11:30 am on Tuesday, August 25. They were travelling to the Chargah Lokri locality to inform Arooj’s in laws about the death of a close family member. However, the family never reached their destination and failed to return home, sparking immediate concern.
Arooj’s father, Shaukat Ali, lodged a formal complaint with the Dinga police later that day, stating he suspected his daughters and granddaughter had been abducted by unidentified individuals. Police subsequently registered a case and initiated a search operation.
The investigation took a harrowing turn on Wednesday when a local resident spotted the bodies floating in an open field that had filled with stagnant rainwater, effectively forming a deep pond. Rescue 1122 and police personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene to retrieve the bodies.
Forensic experts from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) arrived at the site alongside senior officials, including Gujrat (DPO) Faisal Shahzad, SP Investigation Hafiz Imtiaz Ahmed, and Kharian Assistant Commissioner Ahmed Shair, to examine the scene and gather evidence. The bodies were transferred to the Kharian Tehsil Headquarte, (THQ) Hospital for postmortem examinations to establish the exact cause of death. "Initial investigations suggest that the deaths were caused by accidental drowning," a spokesperson for the Gujrat Police stated.
DPO Faisal Shahzad expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and assured the grieving family that detectives are investigating every angle of the case on merit to rule out foul play.
