SUKKUR: A search was mounted by police for a woman in Saad Mahar village of the Pannu Aqil area near Sukkur following complaints that she was brought to the village by her brothers on some pretext and killed for contracting a freewill marriage.

The Sukkur police have detained some suspects for interrogation during the search after a women rights activist and chairperson of the Sindh Suhai Saath, Dr Ayesha Hassan Darejo, informed SSP Singhar Malik that the woman, Naseema Mahar, might have been killed and buried somewhere within the village.

Dr Dharejo said that Ms Mahar had contracted a freewill marriage in Karachi some time ago and had been living with her husband in the metropolis since then. She said her brothers and relatives were not happy with the marriage but they recently offered her a compromise and persuaded her to return to the village to live a peaceful life.

However, Dr Dharjo said, Ms Mahar went missing soon after she was taken to the village on Friday evening. It was believed that her brothers had killed her in the name of honour and buried her body secretly.

Dr Darejo told the SSP that the SHO convcerned was informed about the apprehensions but instead of taking action, he seemed to have been covering up the matter to help the suspects.

The SSP has sent a strong contingent of police to the village to hunt down the culprits and trace out the woman or her body.

There was no trace of the woman till last reports came till late Saturday evening.

However, the woman`s family members along with police and rights activists were continuing their efforts to find a clue to her.

The woman`s brothers and other family members have also gone under ground to escape arrest.