Mob attacks suspected child molester in Lahore

Suspect with a history of such crimes allegedly attempted sexual assault on an eight-year-old girl in Millat Park area

LAHORE:

An enraged mob on Saturday attacked a suspected child molester in Lahore's Millat Park locality.

Zaheer, the suspect who according to police officials has a history of such crimes and had spent two years in prison six years ago, had been living in the locality after coming out of the jail. He lured an eight-year-old girl to a room, where he attempted sexual assault on her.

The residents gathered after hearing the little girl's cries for help and attacked the suspect. Later, local police also arrived at the crime scene.

Read more: Woman, two minors raped

A team including SHO Millat Park Khalid Pervaiz reached the spot. They locked the suspect into a room and held a dialogue with the residents to disperse them. This can be seen in CCTV footage also available with The Express Tribune.

CCTV footage of an incident wherein an enraged mob attacked a suspected child molester in Lahore's Millat Park locality on Saturday#etribune pic.twitter.com/1Eb1p23B4E

— The Express Tribune (@etribune) December 18, 2021

SP Iqbal Town Raza Tanveer said that the suspect has been handed over to the investigation wing after the registration of an FIR against him.

He further said that sexual crimes against women and children will not be tolerated.

In August, Police in Lahore arrested a suspect involved in the rape of a mother and daughter near LDA Avenue H1 Block.

Also read: Lahore police books JUI cleric for molesting seminary student

According to the FIR filed at Chung police station, the 35-year-old woman along with her 15-year-old daughter – residents of Okara – had come to Lahore to visit her sister on Aug 23. They reached Thokar Niaz Beg at 10 pm and hired a green-coloured rickshaw for Sadar, Cantt, to get to the residence of her sister in Officers Colony.

The rickshaw driver, along with his accomplice, however, took them to a deserted spot near LDA Avenue and sexually assaulted the mother and daughter.

"The suspects would put hands on our mouth or would strangle us whenever we tried to cry for help", the mother stated in the FIR. She said the suspects ran away, leaving behind their rickshaw after a car stopped by near the site of the crime. “Seeing its light we screamed for help,” she said, adding that the suspects then fled the scene.

Police have arrested the prime suspect, Umar. According to police, Umar is a habitual offender and has cases registered against him in Okara and Haveli Lakha.