Three held for raping, killing minor girl in Lahore

Police said DNA tests of the arrested suspects would be carried out as soon as postmortem reports are received

LAHORE:  

Police arrested three suspects for their alleged involvement in raping and killing a nine-year-old girl at Lahori Gate late on Wednesday night.

One of the suspects is the girl's maternal uncle with whom she lived, along with her mother, after the parents divorced over a year ago. These days, the girl's mother is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and the girl was staying with her maternal uncles.

Police said that the girl’s postmortem report will be received and soon after, the DNA tests of the arrested suspects would be carried out.

Police said the girl, Ayesha, a resident of Mohalla Shiekhan, Lohari Gate, was taken to the hospital in a critical condition where she died during treatment. After receiving information, police reached the spot where the girl's relatives tried to keep the incident hidden.

Later, the police shifted the body to a morgue and they, along with forensic officers, gathered evidence from the spot and sent it to the forensic laboratory. Police say the initial report suggests the girl was raped.

SP City Maaz Zafar also visited the scene and interrogated another maternal uncle of the girl and two women.  He said that the initial postmortem report revealed that the girl was killed after being raped. However, the facts would be revealed after the investigation is completed. Police have lodged an FIR against unidentified suspects on the father's complaint.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and ordered the IG to submit a report to him. He has said that justice will be provided to the family at all costs.

Meanwhile, the body of a medical student was found from the room of a private hostel located in Hayer.

Police said 22-year-old Abdul Samad was the student of the final year at a private medical college and lived in a private hostel. He hailed from Charsadda.

Samad's roommate told police that last night, he came late in the room and slept. "I tried to wake him up in the morning but he was already dead," he said, adding he informed the police immediately.

According to police, Samad's family told them not to take any action against anyone. Therefore, his body has been handed over to his family.