Domestic violence: 22-year-old girl ‘burnt over dowry’ dies in Lahore

IGP office says action will be ensured against the killers

LAHORE: A 22-year-old girl admitted to Jinnah Hospital with burn wounds inflicted allegedly by her in-laws over a dowry dispute died on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Jinnah Hospital’s Dr Rana Arif said the girl, identified as Madiha, a Pasrur resident, had been admitted to the emergency ward late on Friday night with burn injuries on 80 percent of her body.



The doctor said no one from the Gujranwala district police had yet approached the hospital in the matter. He said all medical reports of the deceased would be provided to the police when they approach the hospital for the purpose.

Nabeela Ghazanfar, a spokesperson for the office of the Inspector General Police (IGP), told The Tribune that the IGP had taken notice of the incident and asked officers concerned to inquire into the matter.

She said an FIR had been registered in the matter and the culprits would soon be tracked down. “If any policemen are found to have delayed investigation of the case, strict departmental action will be taken against them,” he said.

Speaking to The Tribune, Nasreen Begum, mother of the deceased, said the incident had taken place in Tatlay Aali police area.

She said the suspects were influential in the area and had contacts in the Police Department. The police officials concerned had refused to register a case against them, she added. She said the police had not even arranged a medical examination of the deceased so that a medico-legal report could be prepared.



Nasreen Begum alleged that her son-in-law Amir had doused the deceased with kerosene oil and burnt her following an argument over dowry. She said Amir had wanted Madiha’s family to buy him a motorcycle. However, she said, they were a poor family and unable to do so.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd,  2016.