Gang rape and murder: Man booked for murder of maid

15-year-old domestic helper’s body found in shop.

BAHAWALPUR: A young girl was allegedly gang raped and murdered two days ago in Kot Ludan. Police officials have arrested one of the accused in the case and are searching for the other accused who fled the area. 

According to police officials, Mohalla Javed Kot Ludan resident Manzoor was working as a domestic helper for Ghulam Rasool. Manzoor told The Express Tribune that Ghulam Rasool recently hosted a wedding at his residence and asked him to send his daughter to work overtime because they needed help with arrangements. “Rasool sent his son Abbas and his friend to pick up my daughter Amina after calling and telling me they needed her to work longer because of all the guests that were staying at the house,” Manzoor told reporters.

Manzoor said that Abbas reached his house on Saturday night and told him that he was there to pick Amina up and that they would drop her home when the work was completed. “We waited till four in the morning and when she didn’t return I called the house several times but no one answered,” he told police officials. “I eventually went to Rasool’s house to ask where my daughter was but they said she wasn’t there. I told him about the phone call and that he had asked for her to work here and he denied it completely,” he added.

Manzoor and his family began searching for Amina and spent most of Sunday morning before they discovered Amina’s body hidden in Ghulam Rasool’s grocery store. “We went looking for her at all the neighbours’ houses and eventually a group of us found a body stashed beneath the counter in Rasool’s store,” said Amina’s uncle Hashim Javed.  “The body bore signs of torture and we immediately called the police,” he said.

Manzoor alleged that his daughter was gang raped and murdered by Abbas and his friend. “The two men were no where to be found and I immediately filed a report with the police,” Manzoor said. Manzoor and his family approached investigation officer Ayaz Khan, who told reporters that the body was immediately sent to the Vehari DHQ hospital for medical testing. “The body bears clear signs of torture and medical tests have confirmed that the victim was gang raped. I have submitted a report in this regard,” said DHQ Hospital Dr Mubeen Shah. “A DNA sample was sent for chemical examination to the Multan Lab and we now have confirmation that Amina was gang raped. The evidence also suggests that Abbas was one of the culprits involved and we have already arrested him and his father. A police team is presently searching for his friend Anwar who was also involved,” he added.

Ludan Falak Station House Officer (SHO) Sher Khan said that one of the accused had been arrested and the remaining accused would be caught within two days. “We have launched an FIR against the two accused and are searching for Anwar,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2011.