A 15-year-old boy was allegedly chased and run over by a man in a car at a private housing society in Multan after leaving work at the suspect's house, police said, adding that the suspect had been arrested and a murder case registered.
The victim, identified as Waseem, lived at an orphanage run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO). Multan City Police Officer Akhtar Farooq said the orphanage administration had sent him to the suspect, identified as Tauqeer, seven days earlier to learn a trade.
Tauqeer, who undertook electrical work at various buildings, was teaching the boy to become an electrician, the police officer said. According to police, the boy left the work, prompting the suspect to pursue him in his car.
CCTV footage reportedly shows the teenager running away before the car strikes him. Police said initial investigations had found no evidence that the boy had committed theft.
Police have detained some members of the orphanage administration for questioning as part of the investigation. Farooq said children from the orphanage had previously been sent to the suspect for vocational training.
Investigators are examining the circumstances in which Waseem was sent to work with him and the events leading to his death. The murder case was registered with the police as the complainant, the city police officer said.
Waseem was originally from Muzaffargarh. His body was taken there by his uncle and maternal uncle after the incident.
His funeral prayer was held in the village of Daultpur and he was buried in the local ancestral graveyard. Only close relatives and orphanage officials attended the funeral, according to the available reports.
The funeral was held promptly because of the condition of the body, the reports said. The incident has sparked outrage among local residents and human rights activists, who are demanding a thorough inquiry into the orphanage's policies regarding child labor and vocational training.
Police have assured the public that the investigation will be transparent and that the suspect will face the full extent of the law. Further forensic reports are awaited to support the ongoing legal proceedings.
Police said the investigation was continuing and more arrests could be made if the involvement of other individuals is proven during the interrogation of the orphanage staff.