Continued child abuse

Teenage boy allegedly raped and murdered in Karachi

Another horrendous incident of child abuse has come to the fore after a teenage boy was allegedly raped and murdered in Karachi’s Bahadurabad area. At present, there are differing accounts of what actually transpired. Some reports indicate that a woman arrived at a private hospital in a car and told an ambulance driver about a body lying on the road but later disappeared when the ambulance was taking the body back to the hospital. Other reports state that the woman disappeared after the hospital confirmed the death of the boy and an ambulance was called to transport the body to the morgue. The body had been shifted to JPMC for further tests.

The blood-curdling autopsy report of the body shows clear signs of severe torture by a blunt instrument, anal rape, and suspected death through asphyxiation. It has also been ascertained that they boy was around 12 years of age. But an official announcement of the cause of death has been reserved until the toxicology and histopathology reports come out. An investigation is already underway and the Senior Superintendent of police claims that the woman has been identified through her car and video footage from the hospital. Moreover, other DNA samples have also been retrieved and after medical reports are released, police officials will have enough to identify and capture the perpetrators.

Prima facie it seems like an incident of sudden rage leading to murder. Unfortunately, justice will only be served if the perpetrators are not rich and influential. Too often have such cases been suppressed by the police and evidence tampered with in order to protect influential people. The culture of impunity must end and currently social media seems to be the only tool that is able to exert pressure on higher officials to bring these heinous monsters to justice.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2022.

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