The body of Mariam Bibi, aka Maria, had marks of torture when the family gave a bath to it before burial, her sister has claimed. She was allegedly killed by her father and brother earlier this month in Punjab’s Toba Tek Singh.
“When I gave a bath to her body, I saw that she was tortured. Her throat was constricted and one side of it was flattened from one side,” Kausar Bibi, her older sister, told reporters.
Maria’s death was reported in the media after an alleged video of her murder went viral on social media.
The killing — which according to the police occurred on the night between March 17 and March 18 – was recorded on a mobile phone camera. The video shows the accused smothering the victim, Maria, by pressing a pillow on her face for three minutes as she lies on a charpoy.
On Thursday, District Police Officer Ibadat Nisar told the media there were suspicions that the victim, Maria, was subjected to incest by both the suspects, her brother Faisal and father Abdul Sattar. She had become pregnant and they planned to kill her.
The incident happened in Chak 277 JB, Toba Tek Singh. Nisar added that Shehbaz, one of the brothers of the victim, had made the video and informed them about the death. Police have registered a murder case against both the brothers and their father on the complaint of Saddar police sub-inspector Ahmad Raza.
Kosar’s claims also match the findings of the medical report. Earlier in the day, new investigations in the murder case revealed signs of violence on the victim’s body.
An initial medical examination of the body found that the bones in the victim’s throat were broken. The report revealed that her hyoid bone was fractured and two tracheal rings were also broken. These signs seemingly point towards intense force being applied as she was strangulated by her brother.
A detailed autopsy report is still pending.
According to Kosar, her brother called her at 1am and urged her to immediately visit him as the condition of Maria was serious. But her sister was not there when she arrived at the house.
She claimed that another brother showed her the video, showing her father and brother allegedly killing Maria.
“They committed a lot of crime against her [victim]. Please, we need justice. Anyhow give us justice,” Kosar said as she sobbed.
