Woman claims police refusing to register gang-rape complaint

Irum was allegedly raped by three men in Hasilpur <br /> on June 29.

BAHAWALPUR: A gang-rape survivor on Tuesday claimed that police had refused to register her complaint and were protecting the rapists.

Irum*, a resident of Darbar Palace Road, Hasilpur, told reporters that she was at a university student. “Two months ago, Tajammul, a local criminal, started harassing me on the way to the university. The harassment reached a level where I had to discontinue my studies,” she said.

“On June 29, Tajammul, and his two accomplices, forced their way into my home and abducted me.

They took me to a deserted place and raped me. They also filmed the incident. They later threw me near a graveyard,” she said. “I filed a written complaint with the Hasilpur city police. However, they did not register a case,” she said.

Irum said that Tajammul was threatening to release the footage on the internet if she contacted the police again.

She appealed to the chief minister to direct the police to register a case. “If I do not get justice I will commit suicide in front of the Bahawalpur DPO’s office,” she said. Bahawalpur DPO Sarfraz Falki said that he had directed the SHO to submit a report. Hasilpur City SHO Muhammad Afzal Khokar said, “I will summon the girl and the suspect to the police station. I will proceed further in the case after hearing them.”

*names have been changed to protect identities

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2014.