SARGODHA: Police have arrested five people after a mob attacked a general store linked to the investigation into the murder of eight-year-old Mintha Zahra, following false information circulated on social media. Authorities said the attackers vandalised the premises and attempted to set it on
fire before police brought the situation under control.
Speaking to NEWSMAN, City Police Station Sergodha SHO, Sheikh Safdar , said the victim’s family had no connection with Sunday’s attack. He said the mob consisted of local residents, most of
them teenage boys, who gathered after being influenced by misleading information shared online.
“The attackers damaged the shop and attempted to set it ablaze, but police reached the scene in
time and prevented further destruction,” Sheikh Safdar said. He added that the shop was subsequently sealed, an FIR had been registered, five suspects had been arrested, and raids were continuing to apprehend other individuals involved in the incident.
The attack came amid growing public outrage over the killing of Mintha Zahra, whose body was recovered earlier this week from a building located near her home after she went missing while
leaving to buy an item from a nearby general store.
The case took another significant turn on Wednesday when the prime suspect, Arslan, was killed during a police encounter while investigators were attempting to recover evidence allegedly
connected to the crime.
Crime Control Department (CCD) Investigating Officer Waqar Ahmed told NEWSMAN that the suspect had initially been arrested by City Police and later handed over to the CCD for further
investigation. According to him, investigators were taking Arslan to the Jhal Chakian area to identify and recover the alleged murder weapon when unidentified armed accomplices opened
fire on the police team.Police returned fire, and during the exchange, the prime suspect was killed, Waqar Ahmed said,
adding that investigations were continuing to identify and arrest other individuals who may have been involved in the case.
Investigators said the inquiry initially focused on the building where the child was last seen. CCTV footage obtained from the area showed Mintha Zahra entering the building that housed the
general store but did not capture her leaving. The footage prompted police to conduct a detailed search of the premises.
The officers searched the ground floor, upper portions of the building and eventually the rooftop, where the child’s body was found concealed beneath sacks and discarded material inside a small rooftop shed. The discovery became a major breakthrough in the investigation and led authorities to question individuals associated with the building.Waqar Ahmed said the preliminary post-mortem examination indicated that the child died after
being subjected to severe physical violence. However, he said forensic examination and the final medical report were still awaited before investigators could determine whether sexual assault had occurred.
Police officials said forensic evidence, laboratory analysis and witness statements remained central to the investigation as authorities worked to establish the complete sequence of events and determine the role of every individual connected to the crime.
Meanwhile, police appealed to the public to refrain from spreading unverified information on social media, warning that rumours could interfere with ongoing investigations and provoke violence. The officials said the attack on the shop was a clear example of how misinformation could inflame public emotions and lead to criminal acts.
