KARACHI, Oct 12: Police on Saturday failed to get any clues in the investigation of the kidnap and rape case of a college girl, who was found unconscious in the Defence area on Friday night.

However, they registered a case pertaining to the girl’s kidnapping and rape.

The Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police registered the case (FIR 449/2013) against unidentified men under Sections 337-J (causing hurt by mean of a poison), 365-B (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel for marriage), 376 (punishment for rape) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of the victim’s father.

An official said that the exact number of suspects was not known yet as investigators were still gathering facts.

The 15-year-old student was returning home from her college in North Nazimabd in a rickshaw on Friday when the rickshaw driver had allegedly intoxicated her, took her away and allegedly raped her. She was found unconscious in the Defence area at night.

Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector General of Police Shahid Nadim Baloch asked the Karachi police chief to immediately submit the investigation report of the incident.

He also called for extra efforts for the arrest of the culprits.

“The IGP also sought case-to-case details of investigations in other similar cases,” said a statement issued from the Central Police Office.

Minor girl rape case

An anti-terrorism court on Saturday admonished the police for deputing a low-ranking officer for the investigation of a case pertaining to the rape of a minor girl and sought a report from the deputy inspector-general of police (west) till Oct 14.

The court expressed its displeasure after finding that a sub-inspector was dealing with the investigation of the rape case of a five-year-old girl despite the fact that no police officer under the rank of an inspector can investigative cases lodged under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The SI produced the suspect, a cousin of the victim girl, in court on Saturday and requested the judge to extend his police remand for further interrogation.

The police officer was unable to inform the court about the progress made so far in the case when the judge asked him about it.

The judge of the ATC-II sent a letter to the DIG-West over engagement of an SI in the anti-terrorism case and directed him to submit a list of police inspectors posted in the west zone by Monday.

The court extended the police remand of the suspect for two days and also issued a show-cause notice to Inspector Naveed since he produced the suspect in court for first remand but did not turn up on Saturday.

According to the prosecution, the victim was found in Tauheed Colony in injured condition on Sept 28 and she informed the police that her cousin had subjected her to a sexual assault. The police arrested the suspect the same day.

A case (FIR 178/13) was registered under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on a complaint of the victim’s father at the Iqbal Market police station.

Opinion

Editorial

Punishing evaders
02 May, 2024

Punishing evaders

THE FBR’s decision to block mobile phone connections of more than half a million individuals who did not file...
Engaging Riyadh
Updated 02 May, 2024

Engaging Riyadh

It must be stressed that to pull in maximum foreign investment, a climate of domestic political stability is crucial.
Freedom to question
02 May, 2024

Freedom to question

WITH frequently suspended freedoms, increasing violence and few to speak out for the oppressed, it is unlikely that...
Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.