Minor girl allegedly raped, murdered

Victim’s body recovered from local graveyard in Attock

RAWALPINDI:

A minor girl was allegedly raped and murdered in the Faqeerabad area of Attock.

Family members and neighbours recovered the body of the victim from a graveyard after a search for hours.

According to police, the 10-year-old victim left home for tuition but did not return. The family started searching for the missing minor before they found the body at a local graveyard.

The family informed the police who collected evidence from the crime scene and shifted the body to the district headquarters hospital Attock for initial autopsy. According to police, the body was later handed over to heirs after medico-legal formalities.

Police have not caught the culprits. Police said that the victim's body samples will be sent to Lahore for a complete forensic examination. The forensic report will ascertain if the minor girl was subjected to sexual assault before killing her, they said.

Police said that a case of murder and rape is being registered against unknown culprits at the Attock Saddar Police Station.

According to eyewitnesses, the girl wore white pants and a black kurta. She was identified by her clothes. The victim had blood on her face and ears, while blood was oozing out from her knee as well.

According to the police, an area of 10-kilometre radius of the crime scene has been marked. The area will be monitored with geo-fencing and suspects will be interrogated while the students of the tuition, where the victim was enrolled, will also be investigated. Visitors who were present at the local cemetery on the day of the crime will be investigated, the police said.

According to a police spokesman, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Imran Ahmar has taken notice of the incident and visited Attock along with senior investigating officers. He said that the police were using all available resources to track the culprits.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police Inspector-General Rao Sardar Ali Khan has taken notice of the murder of the 10-year-old girl after her alleged rape in Attock and sought a report from the RPO Rawalpindi. The IGP while ordering to form a special team for the arrest of the accused said that the accused should be arrested at the earliest and brought to justice.

He said that DPO Attock should ensure all possible steps for the arrest of the accused immediately and keep close contact with the victim's family.

Four cops suspended

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari has suspended two Police Station House Officers and two front desk personnel over their alleged negligence.

The CPO suspended SHO Sadiqabad and SHO Waris Khan police stations after they were found unavailable during the public dealing hours. The CPO also suspended the front desk staff of Murree Police Station and Airport Police Station for non-cooperation with complainants.

The CPO said that during the public dealing hour, SHOs should tend to citizens’ complaints and no negligence will be tolerated He issued orders to all officers and personnel to perform their duty diligently. Our Correspondent

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2022.