HARIPUR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 25th Aug, 2026) The body of four-and-a-half-year-old Ayat Noor, who had been missing from Pathan Colony in Haripur since August 10, has been recovered from a deep, dry well in a vacant plot near University Road, police said on Monday.
The recovery was made after police traced and arrested a fourth suspect, identified as Hassan Khan, son of Sadozai, a resident of Pathan Colony. According to the police, the suspect identified the location of the well, which was concealed by dense grass near a warehouse on the link road.
Rescue 1122 was immediately called to the scene, and its personnel assisted police in recovering the child’s body. DPO Haripur Shafiullah Gandapur and senior officers of the Special Investigation Team directly supervised the recovery operation.
Addressing a press conference along with the Special Investigation Team, DPO Haripur Shafiullah Gandapur said the disappearance of a child was not only a tragedy for the affected family but a matter of grief for the entire society. He said Ayat Noor was considered a daughter of the entire Haripur Police.
The DPO said Ayat Noor’s father, Shafiq, a bakery worker, had reported her missing on August 10. A case was registered under FIR No. 361 under Section 364-A, following which an extensive investigation and search operation was launched.
A Special Investigation Team comprising senior police officers, including the SSP Investigation Haripur, DSP City, DSP Headquarters/Investigation and police station investigation officers, was constituted due to the sensitivity of the case. Female police officers and a dedicated IT team were also included in the investigation.
Police obtained and analysed footage from around 200 CCTV cameras, while records of 20 suspected telephone numbers were examined. Footage from 12 cameras proved instrumental in tracing the movements of the missing girl and identifying the suspects involved in taking her away.
Three suspects Usman, son of Luqman, resident of Model Town; Qasim, son of Nisar Ahmed; and Talha, son of Fareed, resident of Kangra were arrested, and the motorcycle allegedly used in the incident was also recovered.
During interrogation, accused Usman confessed before the court to abducting the minor girl and committing rape, with his confession formally recorded by the judge. Qasim was subsequently granted two days’ physical remand, while Talha, due to his young age, was sent to Central Jail Haripur on judicial remand.
The investigation was further expanded, while extensive search operations continued across the area. At one stage, more than 400 police personnel, along with TMA and WASA staff, participated in coordinated searches of drains, sewers, dense grassy areas, vacant plots, deserted places, the surroundings of the University of Haripur, the fertilizer factory ground and areas adjoining Pathan Colony.
Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the case, while DIG Hazara Nasir Mahmood Satti visited Haripur and reviewed the investigation. The DPO briefed the DIG on the CCTV evidence, investigation progress and statements of the suspects. The DIG also met Ayat Noor’s family and assured them of justice.
Police said the investigation faced challenges as some of the suspects were minors and did not have identity cards, making it difficult to directly trace SIM cards registered in their Names. The IT team therefore analyzed the records of their family members and other suspicious numbers.
The recovered body was shifted to the Rescue 1122 Trauma Centre Haripur, where senior doctors conducted the post-mortem examination. X-rays, DNA samples and other biological samples, including kidney and intestinal samples, were collected and sent for forensic analysis.
Police said further investigation into the case was underway and all available resources were being utilised to fulfil the requirements of justice and bring all those responsible to justice.
DPO Haripur also thanked religious scholars, traders, media representatives, civil society members, local elders and residents for maintaining patience and restraint during the investigation. He urged citizens to keep their CCTV cameras functional and preserve DVR recordings, saying such evidence can play a crucial role in investigating serious crimes.
