Burning questions: The penalty for ‘eve teasing’

73-year-old set ablaze for harassing neighbour’s daughters.

FAISALABAD:

Two men set an old man on fire for teasing the women of their family on Monday.

According to police officials, the accused sprinkled petrol on the old man and set him on fire because he had been ‘teasing’ the women of their house. Police officials said the incident occurred in the Saddar Police precincts. According to Saddar police station house officer Arif Wattoo, Chak 228 resident Sharif Muhammad, 73, was accused of misbehaving with his neighbour’s daughters and wife.

Suspects Muhammad Tufail and Dost Muhammad said that Sharif had been harassing three women of their house for a long while. “My sisters told me that he had always made suggestive remarks but a few days ago he sneaked into our house and went into one of their rooms. They pushed him off and he ran back home,” Dost Muhamamd said. “We will not forget what he did and he deserved what he got,” Muhammad said.

SHO Wattoo said that the accused had tied Muhammad to the bed in his own house and sprinkled petrol over him. “Then they lit the match and by the time rescue officials were called to the spot he was already burned,” the SHO told reporters. Rescue 1122 officials took Sharif to Allied Hospital where he died. “He came to us with third degree burns to most of his body. He was nearly dead when he arrived,” Dr Asghar Shah said.

SHO Wattoo said that police were also investigating reports that the accused had a property dispute with Muhammad Sharif. “The women of the household told us that he had been harassing them for a long time but he crossed the line when he broke into their house,” police said. Police have registered a case against Muhammad Tufail and Dost Muhammad and taken them into custody. Sub Inspector Muhammad Ramzan is investigating the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2011.