Ward attendant allegedly rapes woman

Five people were injured when a speeding car fell into a drain on Maulana Shaukat Ali Road late Sunday night

LAHORE: A woman, who visited Lahore Mayo Hospital for the treatment of her son, was allegedly raped by a ward attendant.

The victim A*, in her statement to Gowalmandi police, said that her son was ill so she admitted him to the paediatric ward of the hospital.

A relative, Usman, came to see them inquire about her son's health, she said. The woman added that she took the guest to the canteen for tea. "We sat on a bench and started drinking tea. After a few minutes, a man in plain clothes came and started intimidating us."

She said that he, with the help of a tea-seller, called a security guard. “They also called a person named Shahid Butt and verbally abused us for sitting and drinking tea in a prohibited area. They forced me to sit there on the bench, promising to let me go after a written apology," she said. They also harassed and intimidated her, she added.

The victim said they took Usman with them and let him go after extracting some money.

"Butt escorted me to the ward and on the way, he misbehaved with me," she said. Butt told her to visit his office the next day in the morning to sign the apology.

The next day in the morning, the tea-seller came to summon her and took her to an office where Butt was present. She alleged that he locked the room and raped her.

“He let me go after warning me not to reveal the ordeal to anyone. He also made her promise to visit him whenever he asked.”

Gowalamnadi police registered an FIR under Section 376 of Pakistan Penal Code. They have also the arrested suspects, including prime suspect Shahid Shehzad Butt.

Meanwhile, Mayo Hospital administration has suspended Butt for the misconduct.

Late on Sunday night, five policemen were arrested by the Lower Mall police for stealing and selling motorcycles from a warehouse.

One of the suspects is at large, said police. They added that the suspects used to sell motorcycles at Bilal Ganj Market after stealing them from a warehouse. Around 10 motorcycles have been recovered from their possession.

Police said that Lower Mall police were informed that unknown men have been transporting motorcycles on a pickup van. The police stopped the vehicle on a check post after which one of the suspects fled from the scene. Five others were apprehended.

During the investigation, the suspects revealed that they used to sell stolen motorcycles at Bilal Ganj Market. The suspects were identified as Asim Siddiq, Anwarul Haq, Shaukat, and Yousuf, while Naveed and another suspect remained at large. Police are conducting raids to arrest them.

In a separate incident, five people were injured when a speeding car fell into a drain on Maulana Shaukat Ali Road in the vicinity of Johar Town late on Sunday night. Police said that a couple and their two children were travelling in a car when the incident occurred. The car driver, Arsalan, lost control of the vehicle due to speeding, said police.

A large number of people gathered at the scene while authorities rescued the injured and lifted the car from the drain. The wounded were taken to a nearby hospital.