“Sarim’s body wasn’t in the tank earlier,” says local resident who searched for child with police

A resident of Bait ul Anum Apartments in North Karachi, where 7-year-old Sarim was found dead after being missing for several days told the media that locals and the police had searched every home and water tank in the area but found no trace of the child.

Speaking to the media, a resident of Bait ul Anum Apartments in North Karachi’s Sector 5, where Sarim’s family also resided, revealed that neighbors had been actively involved in efforts to locate the missing boy.

Despite conducting extensive searches throughout the apartment complex, including the water tank where Sarim's body was eventually discovered, the resident stated that neither the police nor the locals had found any signs of him during earlier inspections.

The concerned resident raised suspicions about foul play, noting that the boy’s body was not fully submerged in the water tank but appeared to have been carefully placed there.

He added, “If his body had been in the tank for several days, it would have started decomposing and caused a noticeable smell.”

He further explained that it was only when the apartment’s valve man detected a foul odor from the tank that he reported it to the building’s union, who then informed the police.

During the investigation, security measures were heightened at the apartment complex. “Guards were placed on high alert, and all incoming and outgoing vehicles were thoroughly checked. Strangers were not allowed to enter the premises,” the resident said.

According to the police, it seems that Sarim accidentally fell into the tank, and it is also possible that someone threw him into it.

“The family identified his body by his clothing; however, the police took the body into custody to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death,” stated a police spokesperson.

Subsequently, the police launched a probe into the matter.

Earlier, the parents of Sarim, who was allegedly kidnapped on January 7, had claimed to have received messages from an international number demanding ransom in exchange for their son's release.

However, it was later discovered that the miscreant had a history of defrauding others through fake calls.