RAWALPINDI: A 30-year-old woman, who was allegedly raped and later stabbed in front of her 14-month-old son, died after struggling for her life in the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital on Sunday.

The victim’s son Gulfam was also stabbed at the crime scene and later passed away while being shifted to the hospital.

Police registered a case against the suspect under relevant sections of the law involving rape/murder and a hunt has been launched to arrest him.

On Saturday at around 12:30pm, the victim, her son, brother and uncle Mohammad Ramzan reached Chak Beli Bazaar for the purpose of begging.

In the FIR, the victim’s brother stated that they met a man (suspect), who was already known to his sister. He offered to take her and her son to Mohra village.

The complainant said when his sister and her son did not return after a long time, he got worried and started searching for them and found them lying in the woods of Mohra, with stab wounds on their necks.

The victim told her brother that she was raped by the suspect, who then attempted to murder her by stabbing her in the neck with a knife, leaving her critically injured. She said the suspect also stabbed her son and escaped.

The complainant said he and his uncle were shifting the injured mother and son in a private ambulance to a hospital in Rawalpindi, but Gulfam died on the way. The body of the 14-month-old boy was handed over to his heirs after postmortem on Saturday, while his mother, who was struggling for her life in the emergency ward of DHQ Hospital, died on Sunday.

According to the initial postmortem report, the woman’s neck injuries were the cause of her death whereas forensic analysis was being carried out to ascertain whether she was sexually assaulted.

The investigating officer said the victim originally belonged to Vehari and was unable to record her statement due to her critical injuries.

After the incident came to light, Station House Officer Mohammad Asif, SI Yasir Mehmood, who is investigating the incident, and other senior police officers reached the scene and collected evidence and other relevant information.

Gujar Khan

Two suspects have been arrested by Gujar Khan police for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy on Sunday.

According to details, the victim reported to Gujar Khan police that three people forcefully took him to their place where one of them sexually assaulted him and the other two filmed.

Gujar Khan police on Sunday arrested two of the suspects while raids are underway to arrest the other suspect, DSP Malik Rifaqat said.

Investigation is being done, taking in view all aspects of the case and anyone found involved in such heinous crimes would not be tolerated at any cost, DSP Malik said. — Additional reporting by Hamid Asghar

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021