Three cases registered against ‘psychopathic’ attacker

Suspect stabbed at least four women in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on Sep 25, 26

KARACHI: The suspect who attacked at least four women with a knife in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on September 25 and 26 has exhibited psychopathic behaviour as his modus operandi is unlike usual mugging attempts as he simply rode away on his motorcycle after stabbing his victims.

On these two days, four females victims, aged 13, 20, 30 and 35, were treated at Darul Sehat Hospital located in block 15 of the neighbourhood. Dr Zaeem, who is a coordinator at the emergency ward of the hospital, told The Express Tribune that the wounds inflected were considerably serious and large.

"The wounds bled profusely and had to be stitched up. They appeared to be caused by a large sharp-edged pointed object," the doctor said, adding that the hospital received only four patients with these injuries. However, electronic media reports suggested that there were three more victims who went to other hospitals and remain untraceable.

All the attacks are said to have possibly been carried out by the same person, as the testimonies of the victims narrate a similar style of attack. The attacker wore a helmet, black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and stabbed his victims from behind before riding away on his motorcycle.



The attacks were first reported on social media and Facebook posts quoted a person named Syed Hassan Farooq, who is said to be a medical officer at the abovementioned hospital, cautioning that a gang was roaming the roads and streets of Gulistan-e-Jauhar attacking women.

The post stated that the incidents were reported on the road leading from Jauhar Chowrangi to Pehlwan Goth, more precisely near King's Residency opposite Rabia City.

The police were also alerted about the incidents via social media. At first, the police claimed ignorance about the incidents, however, later when the victims were approached, the reports were confirmed. Still, according to District East SSP Samiullah Soomro, the victims were not willing to lodge a case because they did not want to get involved with an arduously lengthy court process.

On Thursday, the victims were finally convinced to come forward and three FIRs were lodged against an unidentified attacker.

The case at Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station was lodged under Section 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code by a middle-aged woman who works as a domestic helper in the area. She told the police that on September 26 at around 12:45am she was passing through the street near Madrassa Usman Ghani in Block 15 when a person on motorcycle came from behind, hit her with a sharp-edged object and fled.



In the two other cases lodged under Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 337-F (1) (intentional act of causing hurt) at the Sharae Faisal police station, the victims narrated a similar account in which they were attacked from behind by a motorcyclist.

Gulshan-e-Iqbal SP Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto said that in light of the victims' statements the suspect in all these cases appear to be the same person and is on a rampage attacking women with a knife. He said that the motive behind these attacks is still unclear.

"Nothing can be said at the moment about the suspect because it is an unusual case," Bhutto said. "No victim has seen his face - he wore a helmet. But we are trying to get more information about him through closed-circuit television cameras installed in the neighbourhood," he said.

The attacker could be a psychopathic maniac who is attacking people, the police officer suggested, adding that he acted alone in these felonies. "We have begun a hunt for him. Our intelligence teams are on the ground looking for every clue that could lead us to him."

Another suspected attack was reported by electronic media on Thursday. The media quoted the SSP as saying a 12-year-old girl was stabbed and taken to a local hospital.

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