Punjab Police fails to track accused in minor girl’s rape

Claims that CCTV footages are collected and being examined

LAHORE: Even after the lapse of seven days, police are still clueless and have failed to apprehend the culprit who raped a minor girl.

The victim's family have expressed strong reservations over the conduct of police officials who they claimed were using their traditional delaying tactics to tackle the matter. "The incident took place on October 9 while the FIR was registered on October 11. The police officials prepared a list of one dozen suspects, whose DNA was collected on October 15," the father of the minor girl said. He said police officials were neither talking about any arrests nor taking them into confidence on the kind of investigation being conducted. They questioned the progress of police officials on the case, claiming the members of the force called them to reach the police station on the pretext of a DNA test. However, there was no significant development till October 15. This was the third time (on October 15) when police officials were pressurising the family to conduct a DNA test of the minor girl.

They said two suspects, whose DNA samples were to be collected, were missing. The family members added police officials could not give any satisfactory answer over their missing status.

The minor girl told The Express Tribune that a man raped her as she, along with her friend, was going home. She said the man also threatened to thrash them if they disclosed anything to their elders.

The incident spread fear and panic in the locality and people were reluctant to send their children out to play.

Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Shaukat Ali said police were probing the incident to arrest the accused. He said some people were investigated, but released after completing the legal procedure. When asked, the victim’s family was claiming that the police had arrested some accused, while the IO said no people were detained. CCTV footage has been collected and is being examined by the police.

In the second phase, the police were also preparing a list of more suspects for their DNA. He said this was the first incident that took place in Naseerabad area and they would make all efforts to arrest the accused. The father of the victim said his daughter went to play with her friend and when she did not return, they visited the friend's house where they were informed they both were not there. As he reached back home, the minor girl arrived. She was hospitalised after her condition started deteriorating. The doctors at children hospital shifted her to the general hospital where no doctor was available to conduct her medical test. The father appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to intervene and ensure the arrest of the accused.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2019.