IGP claims Sana Yousaf killed for refusing to befriend suspect

Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi, on Tuesday termed the murder of popular TikToker Sana Yousuf a “huge tragedy” and a deeply disturbing case that the police took as a challenge to solve with utmost professionalism.

Addressing a press conference, Rizvi revealed that Sana Yousuf, who rose to social media fame at the age of 17, was shot five times inside her home on June 2 at 5pm. 

“Any brutal murder of a daughter is a serious challenge for the police. The Islamabad Police handled the case with full commitment and professionalism,” he stated.

 

According to the IGP, seven teams were formed immediately to investigate the murder. The police obtained and analysed footage from 113 CCTV cameras, reviewed over 300 phone calls, and examined the victim’s social media activity to gather leads. 

Also Read: TikToker Sana Yousuf shot dead in Islamabad

“Eleven raids were carried out across different cities,” the IGP Rizvi confirmed, “including three in Islamabad, two in Faisalabad, and one in Jaranwala. It was through this relentless effort that the suspect was eventually traced and arrested.”

Sharing details about the suspect, IGP Rizvi said the suspect was a matriculation-pass individual, whose father is a retired Grade-16 government employee. The murder weapon and Sana Yousuf’s mobile phone have been recovered by the police.

The motive behind the heinous act, according to the police, was unrequited obsession. “The suspect wanted to be friends with Sana Yousuf, but she had continuously rejected his advances,” Rizvi said. 

Earlier today, the police arrested the prime suspect, Umar Hayat, from Faisalabad. According to police sources, Umar confessed to the crime during initial interrogation. 

Also Read: TikToker Sana Yousaf’s murderer arrested: Police

The suspect was traced using CCTV footage, mobile phone location data, and other technical evidence. The alleged murder weapon -- a pistol -- was also recovered from his possession.

Authorities revealed that Umar and Sana had been in contact for some time, and the murder was premeditated. On the day of the incident, Umar reportedly parked his motorcycle near Sana's house in Sector G-13 and fled the scene on it after committing the crime.

CCTV footage captured the suspect running away from the location on foot, which helped narrow down the investigation.