SAHIWAL: A couple allegedly slaughtered the four-year-old son of their neighbour over a petty issue at Moza Mal village of Malika Hans on Monday evening.

As per police sources, the suspects, Asia Bibi and Hafeez Watto, fled the village before the police arrived.

According to police, Hafeez Wattoo and his wife Asia Bibi, as well as Bashir and his wife, worked as farm labourers and lived on the land of one Wajid Khan at Moza Mal for the past three years, along with their children. Bashir had two sons; Ali Husnain (4) and Ali Shan (6).

On Monday, Asia beat Ali Husnain following a fight between children.

Later, Ali`s mother confronted Asia over the incident and used abusive language against her and her (Asia`s ) husband.

That afternoon, whileBashir and his wife went to fields for work, leaving their two children at home, Asia and her husband allegedly kidnapped Ali Husnain, took him to their house, and slit his throat with a sharp blade. Both fled away, along with their children, after locking their house.

When Bashir and his wife returned home, they found Ali was missing.

They were told by their elder son that Asia had taken Ali to her house.

When Bashir wen to Asia`s house, he found his son lying critically injured in a pool of blood.

Ali died while being shifted to hospital.

Malika Hans police registered a murder case under sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan penal Code (PPC) against the suspects, on the complaint filed by the child`s father, Bashir.

Pakpattan DPO Javed Iqbal said the police are conductingraidstoarrest the suspects.