Peshawar: Police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have arrested the prime suspect in the double murder case involving a Sikh caretaker couple who were shot dead at a gurdwara in Mardan district, officials said on Thursday.
The victims, identified as Jagannath and his wife Asma Wanti, were serving as caretakers of the gurdwara located in Babu Mohalla, around 60 kilometres northwest of Peshawar. The couple was fatally shot on Wednesday, triggering concern among the local Sikh community and prompting a major police investigation.
Addressing a press conference, Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Masood Ahmad Bangash confirmed that the main suspect had been taken into custody.
The accused has been identified as Sher Shah, a resident of Amazugari. Police said he was arrested following an intensive investigation carried out by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising local police officials, personnel from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and other senior law enforcement authorities.
According to Bangash, investigators have so far found no evidence suggesting that the suspect was linked to any banned organisation, terrorist outfit or organised extremist network.
“The investigation is continuing, and all possible angles are being examined,” the DPO said.
Authorities stated that the motive behind the killings remains unclear at this stage. Investigators are analysing the suspect’s statements, forensic evidence and other material collected during the probe to establish the circumstances surrounding the crime.
The murder of the Sikh caretaker couple has drawn attention to the safety of minority communities in Pakistan and prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Police officials have assured that all aspects of the case will be examined and that those responsible will be brought to justice.
Further details are expected to emerge as investigators continue questioning the accused and gathering evidence.
