Police arrest acid attack perpetrator

Suspect sighted near his house, confessed to targeting his former wife, say police

KARACHI:

The police have arrested the man who threw acid on his former wife in Baldia Town as she left for work, confirmed officials on Sunday.

Syed Zeeshan, who reportedly has a history of being violent, had been on the run after throwing acid and severely burning Rimsha, 21, his former wife, allegedly over Tick Tock videos. The police had detained his father, who had earlier submitted a surety in writing guaranteeing that Zeeshan would not force his former wife to live with him, as they searched for him.

According to Keamari SSP, the police received a tip-off that the suspect was sighted near his house and arrested him. Zeeshan confessed to the crime during initial interrogation, added the SSP.

The incident is one of several cases of crimes against women reported across the country in recent months.

According to the case lodged at Saeedabad Police Station, Rimsha, who was shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital with burn injuries on her face and chest, was leaving for work at around 9am on Saturday when her former husband, Zeeshan, chased her, threw acid on her and fled.

The police told the media that the couple had married of their own free will two years ago but repeated scuffles led to Rimsha filing for divorce this February. The police added that the woman's family had lodged a complaint stating that Zeeshan had forcefully tried to take her to his house. The cops had called both the families to the police station and tried to negotiate. After accepting a written surety by Zeeshan's father, Fida Hussain, the police released the suspect. According to the police, the suspect was against her using Tik Tok and he confessed to the same during interrogation.

Outside the hospital on Saturday the survivor's family told the media that Rimsha was associated with a law firm and worked at the city courts. They said that even after the divorce, Zeeshan would stop her from going to work and had tried to physically force her to go with him as well as beating and threatening her.

The couple had made many Tik Tok videos together but after marriage Zeeshan wanted Rimsha to stop using the application, Rimsha's mother said. This led to constant disagreements between them.

Most cases of violence against women go unreported but in recent months social media has played a part in highlighting such cases and prompting the police into action. The cases that remain in the public's eye see a higher chance of resolution while others are typically either settled informally between parties or the investigation loses steam. Cases of gender-based violence involving Tik Tok users have also come into the limelight given the application's growing popularity and controversy over bans on it.

Last month, a woman was killed in Sherpao Colony in the limits of Quaidabad Police Station allegedly by her husband Ishaq. According to the police, Ishaq killed both his wife and her mother for refusing to make Tik Tok videos.

In February this year, 32-year-old Muskaan Sheikh was shot dead as were three fellow Tik Tokers, Amir Khan, Rehan Shah and Saddam Hussain in a targeted attack in Garden area near Anklesaria Hospital.

Muskan had filed a report with the Quadabad Police last year in June that the prime suspect, Abdur Rehman Afghani, and his accomplices had barged into her house and attempted to rape her during a power breakdown. Muskan had told the police that the thugs had tortured her and beat her when she resisted them and left only when her cries for help alerted the neighbours.

Neither of these cases have reached conviction.

Case lodged

Separately, the police lodged a case against a woman accused of throwing acid on her former husband.

According to the police, Usman, who was brought to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital with burn injuries on his hand and face, had rented out a flat to his former wife Shabana Kausar. Usman told the police that he had divorced Shabana last October after finding out that she had previous marriages and was in contact with her ex-husband. Usman said he moved back into his parent's home but Shabana wanted him to annul the divorce and remarry her. She threatened to take her own life and he assured her that he would marry her again if she could convince her family. On August 19, Usman said he went to see her and when he refused to stay she threw a glass of acid, which he had assumed to be water, on him, burning his face and hands.

The case against Shabana was lodged at New Karachi Police Station. No arrests were made till the filing of this report.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2021.