SAHIWAL: The district police claim to have traced and arrested the alleged killer of two transgenders -Ashfaq alias Phakoo and Salman alias Muskaan -who were found murdered in a house at Jinnah Colony, Harappa, on July 27.

District Police Officer retired Capt Muhammad Ali Zia on Thursday told the media that jealousy turned out to be the main motive behind the killings.

Giving details, he said the suspect, Zubair Aslem (30), a resident of Dera Rahim, had developed relations with one of the victims,Salman alias Muskan (26), who lived in a rented house with her `guru` Ashee in Jinnah Colony, Harappa, along with another transperson Ashfaq alias Phakoo.

Zubair worked as electrician at a sugar mills in Rahim Yar Khan, and would frequently visit Muskan who had other `friends` as well.

Zubair didn`t like Muskan bef riending other people and would often quarreled with her over the issue.

Police said that on July 24, Zubair arrived at Muskan`s house and stayed there while the guru, Ashee, hadgone to Lahore.

On July 25, the two had a quarrel over the issue again and in a fit of jealousy, Zubair shot Muskan dead.

Later, Ashfaq (Phakoo), who had gone somewhere, returned and was also shot by Zubair, who fled the scene after locking the house from outside.The police said on July 27 when Ashee returned from Lahore, she found the bodies of his two disciples there and reported the incident to police.

The DPO said the police investigators traced the `killer` with the help of call data of the victims mobile phone which Zubair had taken away after killing them.

He said Zubair told the investigators that he had thrown the pistol he used for the killings in a water channel near Naiwala Bangla and went to RYK.

The DPO said a team headed by SDPO Falik Sher Bhutto, with Harappa police station SHO Mr Zeeshan resolved the case.

Mr Zeeshan told Dawn during investigation it transpired that Zubair had criminal record and was under trial in a murder case (FIR No 600/17) registered with Sahiwal Ghalla Mandi police.