At least men set a 13-year-old girl alight after attempting to gang rape her in some fields in Chak 468, near Faisalabad in the Rajoa police precinct, earlier yesterday. Doctors at the Chiniot DHQ Hospital treating her said her condition was stable.
Police said the victim had accused a landlord and three of his accomplices of attempting to rape her. In his complaint, the victim’s father said the four men had abducted his daughter at gunpoint and taken her to the fields on the outskirts of their village. He said they had raped her and when she raised hue and cry, they had thrown petrol on her and set her ablaze. Several people had rushed to the scene on hearing her screams and taken her to a hospital.
District Headquarters Hospital Surgeon Muhammad Ali said the girl had been burnt but her condition was stable.
The Rajoa SHO said that they had registered an FIR under Sections 376 and 511 of Pakistan Penal Code (rape and molestation) against Muhammad Arshad, the landlord, and his three accomplices. The SHO said initial investigations had shown that she had not been gang-raped. He said there had been a rape attempt.
“We are trying to ascertain whether the victim was actually set on fire by the suspects. It is possible that she or her family members staged a drama.”
The SHO said they had had a medical examination conducted and sent samples to the Lahore Forensic Lab to determine whether rape had been committed. He said further action would be taken on receipt of the lab report. “We are conducting raids to arrest the suspects.” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Chiniot DPO.
