Eve of Women’s Day: Policeman, aide rape 14-year-old girl

LAHORE:

A 14-year-old girl was raped at gunpoint by a police constable and another man, while her grandparents were tied and gagged in another room of their house in Sheikhupura district.

The incident occurred in a dera of a deputy superintendent of police late Wednesday – the eve of International Women’s Day, The Express Tribune has learnt.

A* had come to Malowal from Jaranwala to visit her grandparents, whose house is situated in DSP Riasat Javed Bajwa’s compound – as they look after his agriculture land.

The culprits have been identified as police constable Nawaz Wahla, said to be the gunman of DSP Bajwa, and his accomplice, Mehboob, a milk man.

Between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, the two men climbed the wall and barged into A’s grandparents’ house. They tied and gagged her grandparents and took A into a room, where they allegedly raped her at gunpoint.

After the accused fled from the house, A had to untie her grandparents, who immediately shifted her to the District Headquarters Hospital Sheikhupura.

Although her condition is stated to be critical, doctors refused to treat her without the involvement of the local police.

The victim’s family then approached the local police station in Bhikhi to register a case against the accused, but SHO Inspector Sadaqat Randhawa refused to cooperate, A’s grandfather said.

They then approached the Session Court in Sheikhupura, after which Additional District and Session Judge Rao Abdul Jabbar Khan ordered the Bhikhi Police to take action against the accused. While talking to The Express Tribune, SHO Randhawa confirmed the registration of an FIR.

The police claim to have arrested accused Mehboob, while Nawaz is still at large.

* Names have been omitted to protect the identity of the victim

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2012.