Four beheaded bodies were discovered in the hilly region of Babozai in Katlang Tehsil, Mardan district. The bodies, which were recovered in a severely decomposed state, have been moved to the Type-D Hospital in Katlang for post-mortem examination.
According to police, the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Baizai Police Station. Locals spotted the bodies in the Babozai hills and alerted authorities. Police promptly reached the scene, secured the bodies, and transferred them to the hospital.
One of the deceased was identified as Hammad Ghafoor, son of Rehmat Ghafoor, a resident of Babozai and owner of a local crush plant. According to sources, he had been abducted by unknown assailants four days earlier.
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The other victims were identified as:
Zubair Afridi, son of Fazal Akbar, a resident of Bara and known leader of a local peace committee (Aman Lashkar)
Shafaq Ahmad, son of Zar Muhammad, from Haripur
Shahabuddin, son of Muhammaduddin, from Dir
Sources indicated that the victims were killed two to three days ago and their bodies dumped in the remote hilly area. Due to the delay in discovery, the bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition.
Hammad Ghafoor’s funeral prayer was offered in his native village of Babozai, while the remaining three were laid to rest in Nowshera.
According to the district police spokesperson, a search operation has been launched in the area, and a case has been registered with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). Investigations are ongoing from multiple angles, and police have collected forensic evidence to help trace the unidentified culprits.
Local sources noted that the Babozai hills border the Buner district and have long been considered a hideout for militants affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Security forces have conducted several operations in this region, including a drone strike a few months ago targeting militant hideouts.
Police have urged the public to report any suspicious activity immediately to the nearest police station or via the helpline 15 to help prevent acts of terrorism and ensure community safety.
