SUKKUR, Nov 19: Police are investigating two separate incidents of humiliating and torturing a woman and a minor girl after registering cases against accused on Wednesday.

Salma Baloch, a resident of Nusrat Bhutto Colony, Karachi, went to Naushahro Feroze to the in-laws of her son to demand return of Rs3,000 which she had given to them as a loan.

When she demanded the money, her four relatives Aitbar Baloch, Bakhsho, Rahib and Niaz Ali, allegedly tortured her, shaved her head, tore her clothes and attempted to rape her, but when she started screaming they left her on the condition that she would give her daughter's hand in marriage and Rs6,000 to them.

When she agreed to the condition, they released her. Ms Baloch went to the Naushahro police station and registered an FIR (189/2004) against Aitbar Baloch, Bakhsho, Rahib and Niaz Ali after which police conducted a raid on the house of the accused but did not find them.

The police arrested Sikandar Baloch, the brother-in-law of Bakhsho. Another incident was reported at the Chak police station in Shikarpur district by Wazir Dhamio against one Eidan Dhamio.

Wazir told police that he had married his seven-year-old daughter Rafia Dhamio to Eidan Dhamio in accordance with a jirga verdict some three years back. He said Eidan often used to torture his daughter and two days back when he went to the Islam colony in Sukkur to see his daughter, she was lying in unconscious condition and her head was shaved partially.

He took her to Chak and reported the matter to police who registered a case against Eidan Dhamio. Wazir said some seven years back Eidan Dhamio had framed allegation of karo kari against him.

He said a jirga was convened in which Sardars asked him to give the hand of his daughter Rafia who was only two years old at that time. The Nikkah was solemnized with Eidan Dhamio who then was 55 years old. He said when she was seven-year-old her 'husband' forcibly took her along with him and since then she had been living with him.