Kidnapped girl returns home, police arrest 4

Complainant had been receiving murder threats ever since the case was registered.

BAHAWALPUR:

A 12-year-old girl, who was kidnapped three months ago and allegedly forced into prostitution, fled her tormentors and returned home on Sunday.

Civil Lines police later arrested four people acting on information provided by the girl. They were identified as Shumaila, Muhammad Muzammil, Majid Saleem and Shahzad. The girl told police she was taken to various cities for prostitution. She said she was beaten on resistance. She said there had been some other girls in the house with her, but the men had taken them somewhere at the time she escaped.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the girl’s father, who said that he had been receiving murder threats ever since the case was registered. He said the men backing the kidnappers were forcing him to withdraw the case. He has requested the district police officer and the regional police officer for protection.

SHO Afzaal Lodhi told The Express Tribune that the kidnappers had been arrested from Lodhran. He said the men belonged to a gang who kidnapped girls and forced them into prostitution. He said police were looking for rest of their accomplices. Police are waiting for the girl’s medico-legal examination report.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2012.