Karachi, doctor, wife and 3 children found dead in flat

KARACHI: Five members of a family, including a doctor, his wife and their three children, were found dead inside their locked apartment in Karachi’s Ahsanabad area, with police saying the bodies appeared to have been lying there for several days.

According to police officials, the bodies were recovered from a room on the seventh floor of a residential building after residents alerted authorities about a foul smell coming from the flat.

Police said the apartment’s doors were locked from inside. Officers entered the premises after opening the doors and discovered the bodies of the couple and their three children in one of the rooms.

SSP East Zubair Nazir Sheikh confirmed the incident and said the deceased man was a doctor and the family’s main breadwinner.

The bodies were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. Police said post-mortem examinations would be conducted to determine the exact cause and circumstances of the deaths.

“The actual cause of death will emerge only after the post-mortem examination,” the SSP said, adding that police were investigating the possibility of suicide but had not reached a final conclusion.

Police Probe Multiple Possibilities

Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths from different angles.

The fact that the apartment was locked from inside is one of the factors being considered by investigators. However, police have not ruled out other possibilities and are waiting for forensic and post-mortem findings before determining what happened.

The condition of the bodies suggests that the deaths occurred several days before they were discovered. Investigators are also examining how the family remained unnoticed for that period.

According to preliminary information, the deceased doctor was the family’s sole earning member. Police are looking into the family’s circumstances and any possible factors that could have contributed to the deaths.

Officials said no suicide note had been officially confirmed at the time of the initial investigation.

Forensic personnel have examined the crime scene and collected evidence and samples for further analysis. Chemical examination may also help investigators establish the cause of death.

Home Minister Seeks Report

Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar took notice of the incident and sought an initial report from SSP East.

The minister directed the SSP to personally supervise the investigation and ensure that all aspects of the case were examined thoroughly.

He also called for an effective and coordinated investigation so that the circumstances surrounding the deaths could be established through evidence.

Investigation Underway

SSP East has constituted an investigation team under the supervision of the relevant SP and SDPO.

The crime scene unit has collected evidence from the apartment, while police are recording statements from neighbours, the building’s watchman and relatives of the deceased.

The medico-legal officer at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital will conduct post-mortem examinations of all five bodies.

Police officials said the investigation remains at an early stage and that the final cause and manner of death will be determined after the completion of forensic and medico-legal examinations.

Authorities have urged caution against drawing conclusions before the investigation and post-mortem process are completed.