Police arrest minor’s rapist in Shangla

The suspect had managed to flee after brandishing a gun at onlookers


​ Our Correspondent August 07, 2019
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE

SHANGLA: The Shangla police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a man who had allegedly sexually assaulted a minor girl in the district a day ago.

Speaking to The Express Tribune over the phone from Shangla’s Shah Pur village,  the minor’s girl father claimed that his six-year-old daughter had stepped out of his home on Monday morning to go to the local seminary for her classes when she was allegedly picked up by the accused.

“She was taken to a desolate place and was allegedly sexually abused,” he stated, adding that her cries and screams were heard by locals who gathered at the crime scene.

However, he said that locals could not apprehend the criminal because he brandished a gun and fled.

A complaint was registered with the local police.

Shangla District Police Officer (DPO) Rasool Shah directed the local police to track down the suspect and arrest him. Subsequently, the police raided several hideouts of the suspect. They managed to apprehend the suspect within 24 hours of the incident.

There were reports that the victim’s family were allegedly pressurised and also offered money but the family declined. Moreover, a medical report had confirmed sexual assault of the child, a local police source said, confirming that a first information report (FIR) has been lodged.

“The alleged rapists will not be spared,” Shah said.

Non-government organisations (NGOs) say the number of child assault cases being reported in the province has increased with around 4,600 cases of sexual assault of minors registered in the last year.

Sahil, an NGO that works on child rights, disclosed in a report that the number of child abuse cases reported an increase of 11 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017, with more than 10 children suffering some from abuse every day in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2019.

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