JIT to investigate bestiality, gang-rape in Layyah

A nine-member JIT was formed to investigate an incident of gang rape and animal pornography in Layyah and was ordered to submit a report in seven days. The FIA would also be involved in investigating the matter.

Police arrived at the scene and sent samples from the victim to the forensic lab for DNA testing. The police also managed to arrest two out of seven nominated suspects.

The victim alleged that three accused, identified as Shaukat, Waseem Alvi and Abrar Asad kidnapped her with the connivance of a woman named Sana on July 3. They took her to Azam Chowk and allegedly gang-raped her for five days. After that, the accused blackmailed her by filming her being raped by a dog and uploaded the video to foreign pornographic websites.

The victim said that pornography gangs call their victims by posing as friends, before abducting, gang-raping and blackmailing them by making videos. These gangs earn money by uploading videos of rape by trained dogs on websites in foreign countries.

Upon the complaint of the girl's father, Tajmal Hussain, case 446/22 was registered by Chobara Police Station and immediate action was taken.

RPO DG Khan Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem took strict notice of the incident and demanded an immediate report from the DPO. He also ordered DPO Layyah to take immediate action as per the law and immediately arrest the accused. Special temas were constituted to track down the accused.

According to police sources, two accused were taken into custody on Friday, while Additional IG South Punjab Dr Ehsan Sadiq ordered the formation of a JIT due to the seriousness of the matter. RPO Saleem formed a JIT, consisting of 9 officers including SPRIB Rabnawaz, DSP Sadar, Chaubara and DSP Legal Muzaffargarh. A female police officer is also part of the JIT.

The JIT started its investigation under the supervision of RPO Saleem. The RPO told Express that the JIT reached the spot and gathered all primary evidence from the crime scene. Two of the seven accused were arrested.

The JIT will also seek assistance from the FIA and other agencies in the investigation and will complete the investigation and submit a full report within seven days. All aspects of the incident will be investigated and the facts will be revealed.

The Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi sought a report from IG police about the molestation and pornography scandal in Layyah and directed a high-level inquiry to investigate the matter. “All the accused should be brought under the grip of the law through comprehensive investigations along with the provision of justice to the victim,” he said, making it clear that such incidents are intolerable. The accused involved in this gruesome crime would be given exemplary punishment while fulfilling all the requirements of justice, he added.

However, the scope of the investigation broadened when the case complainant and the 22-year-old victim were also taken into custody.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2022.