The Dharwad Rural Police have solved 21-year-old Zakia Mulla’s murder case within 12 hours after the crime came to light, with the arrest of the accused who is her fiancé.
Dharwad Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya has given the name of the accused as Sabir Parvez Ahmed Mulla, a driver and resident of HUDCO Colony, Sadhanakeri in Dharwad.
Zakia Mulla was to marry him.
Mr. Gunjan Arya said that based on technical and scientific evidence, they arrested the accused on the charge of murdering the woman.
He said that as per technical evidence available with them, they have arrested the accused Sabir Mulla.
But further investigation is on to find out the involvement of any other person in the crime. A car used for the crime has been seized.
The Superintendent of Police said that he will also request the public to share with the investigating officer information, if any, on the involvement of anyone else in the crime.
He also said that the accused and the victim’s marriage was fixed, but as of now they have no information on any engagement ceremony having been conducted.
Meanwhile, the girl’s parents suspected the involvement of the father of the accused in the crime and demanded a thorough investigation.
Zakia Mulla left home on Tuesday evening and did not return till late in the night forcing her parents to lodge a complaint with the police.
Having traced her cell phone’s location to Mansur Road on the outskirts of Dharwad, the police, along with her family members, launched a search for her late into the night without any avail. However, they were able to find the body only the next morning (Wednesday).
Sabir strangulated his fiancée on Tuesday evening and after having dumped the body a little away from the crime spot, he joined Zakia Mulla’s family members in the search for her, the police said.
The motive for the murder is not yet clear, the police added.
Published – January 22, 2026 07:25 pm IST
