Police have arrested a suspect for the death of a 23-year-old woman who drowned at Karachi’s Seaview beach. Her body was recovered from the sea by rescue workers after two days on Sunday.

“Initial investigation has revealed that Dr Shan Saleem, the suspect, sexually assaulted Sara Malik before she died by suicide,” Karachi South Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Syed Raza told Aaj News.

Rescue efforts started after it was reported that a woman had drowned at the city’s Seaview beach on Friday.

She had left her hand bag and other belongings, including her CNIC, on the shore and was identified as Sara Malik, a resident of Mehmoodabad. Police also found her mobile phone which aided investigators.

Sara worked at the RPK Critter Care & Animal Hospital in the city’s DHA Phase 6 area.

Dr Saleem, who is the owner of the hospital, had given a loan of more than Rs150,000 to Sara, sources in the investigation team said. They alleged that the suspect had forced the victim to form illicit relations with him by blackmailing her over the repayment of the loan.

Sara had shared her ordeal with one of her colleagues at the hospital.

“Further investigation is under way,” SSP Raza said, adding that the post-mortem examination of the body is underway. It will reveal whether the girl died due to drowning or she was killed.

“Some of the things we have found in the room of owner Shan Saleem make it appear that the girl was subjected to physical abuse,” the SSP said while speaking about the police’s raid.

FIR registered

The first information report was registered on the complaint of the victim’s father Abrar Ahmed under sections 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) and Section 34 (acts done by several persons In furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860.

“On Saturday night, we raided the animal hospital where she used to work and arrested Shan Saleem and Dr Bisma,” said the senior officer who also named several items recovered from Saleem’s room.

The detained hospital owner has “admitted” that he had sexual relations with Sara for the last two years, he added. “The girl probably committed suicide as she was a victim of sexual harassment,” the police officer said.

‘This is not suicide’

The FIR registered on the complaint of the victim’s father says Sarah had been employed at the RPK hospital for the past two years but she had grown uncomfortable working with Shan Saleem for over a month.

“On January 6, my daughter went to the hospital and sent an SMS to her mother saying ‘I am upset with Dr Shan Saleem. He has abused me,’” the FIR quoted the father as saying.

Sara’s mother told her to come home and calm down. But, she did not go to her parents’ home and Dr Saleem called them at 4pm to inform them that their daughter’s purse and shoes have been found on the beach.

“Your daughter is missing. Immediately reach the clock tower,” Ahmed quoted Shan as saying in the report. When they reached the beach, many people including Dr Saleem and the police were present there.

“Dr Saleem had abducted my daughter for an unknown reason. My daughter cannot commit suicide. Legal action should be taken against him.”