Girl found hanging was raped, killed in Karachi

The girl found hanging in a room in her house in Karachi’s Korangi had not committed suicide, rather she was murdered and then hanged, autopsy conducted by the female medico legal officer revealed.

The MLO said the deceased had been abused and tortured for a long time. Police suspect that she was killed by her tormentor fearing that she would speak up about him.

Zaman Town Police have registered a case of murder of a 12-year-old girl in Korangi in the complaint of the victim’s father, Abu Tahir Jamalud Din.

The case will be investigated by the In charge of Anti Rape Investigation and Trial 2020. While recording his statement in the case, the victim’s father told the police that he was residing at the said address and earned his living for himself and his children by working as a labourer.

His wife died three years ago leaving behind four children, including two daughters and two younger sons.

He added that he used to hand over his children to his elder daughter before going to work. On September 21, 2022, he went to work as usual in the morning and returned around 4 pm.

The door of the house was locked from the inside. When he knocked on the door, no one responded. Meanwhile, his elder daughter came out from the neighbouring house and told him that she had taken Saad (his son) and went to the tutoring lady at 3 o’clock. At that time, his younger daughter Mehnaz Kainat, was alone at home.

Abu Tahir added that his elder daughter Shahnaz came back around 3:30 and knocked on the door, but Mehnaz did not open the door from inside, so Shahnaz went to the neighbour’s house.

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The neighbours and residents of the area heard noises and asked Fahad to jump into the house and open the door from inside. When they went in, they saw Mehnaz hanging with a dupatta tied to the ceiling.

Abu Tahir said he took Mehnaz to Government Hospital No5, however, they asked him to go to Jinnah Hospital, so he took the girl to Jinnah Hospital. The doctors checked the girl and said that the daughter was not alive. Later, the police got an autopsy conducted through a lady medico legal officer who revealed that that the deceased had been abused and tortured for a long time.

Mehnaz was laid to rest on Thursday. So far, no concrete progress has been made in the investigation. The affected family has been living in the same area for many years and did not suspect anyone living there.

Father of the deceased said that his family has been living in the same area for the last 40 years. He has asked for information in the madrassa, tuition centre and the neighbourhood though he does not suspect anyone. He said that the daughter had never even mentioned any problem.

She took an interest in her studies, everything was normal, and there was no change in the daughter’s routine during the last few days before her death.