Accused killed Sana Yousaf for repeatedly rejecting his friendship advances: police

Inspector General Islamabad Ali Nasir on Tuesday addressed the brutal murder case of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, who was shot dead outside her home.

He stated that the main accused in the Sana Yousaf murder case was identified as Umar Hayat, haling from Faisalabad. 

Hayat, a matriculate from Faisalabad, repeatedly made advances to Sana on her social media account, but she consistently rejected him. This repeated rejection allegedly prompted Hayat to kill Yousaf.

He stated that the accused, identified as Umar Hayat, had previously been near Yousaf's house on her birthday but failed to meet her. 

Read: Islamabad police arrest slain TikToker Sana Yousaf’s killer

Then, again on June 2, he waited outside her residence for several hours before killing her in Islamabad's G-13 sector.

A young TikToker was murdered within the limits of the Sumbal police station yesterday," IG Ali Nasir stated, acknowledging the incident as "a significant challenge" for the Islamabad Police to identify the perpetrator.

The accused, after killing Yousaf, also snatched her iPhone to remove any traces that could be used by authorities.

However, law enforcement was able to trace his number and identify him with the help of the victim's family members, who recognised him from a picture.

Check: Netizens outraged against those glorifying killing of TikToker in Islamabad

IG Islamabad Ali Nasir Rizvi emphasised the critical importance of locating and identifying the accused, saying, "Why was the voice of the 17-year-old TikToker silenced?"

Seven teams were immediately formed to search for the unknown assailant, utilising cellular technology and digital surveillance. These teams conducted numerous raids, examined footage from 113 cameras, and scrutinised details from over 300 calls during the investigation.