In a deeply disturbing incident, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl died after allegedly being sexually assaulted in Qayyumabad, prompting police to arrest a 17-year-old relative as investigations get under way.
The tragedy occurred in the densely populated Qayyumabad area, where the child was brought back home in critical condition after allegedly being taken out by a relative on Tuesday evening. According to police, suspect Manan had taken the child from her home on the pretext of buying her sweets.
Officials said the child was brought back after some time in an unconscious state. "Her clothes were soiled, and she was unresponsive," the FIR noted which was registered on Wednesday at the DHA Police Station under Section 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of the victim's father. The FIR said the complainant received a telephone call from his wife on Tuesday night informing him that their daughter had died at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
The complainant said that the child's mother told him that when she was brought back, the family initially believed that she had fallen ill and tried to comfort her at home by giving her medicine, but her condition deteriorated and she began vomiting. She was first taken to a nearby private hospital, where doctors advised the family to take her to JPMC.
The FIR said the toddler died on her way to the hospital, adding that the suspect physically assaulted and sexually abused the child, causing her death.
Police reached the residence in the early hours of Wednesday after being alerted via Madadgar 15. The body was moved to the morgue for post-mortem examination. The deceased was identified as daughter of Ali Rana.
Appealing to the authorities for justice, the child's father demanded strict legal action against the suspect as well as anyone found guilty of facilitating the crime.
The suspect was apprehended by relatives and handed over to police. A case is expected to proceed after medical and forensic findings are finalised.
Police said Section 174 proceedings have been initiated, while further investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident and whether any accomplices were involved.
A duty officer said the post-mortem report had been reserved and the medico-legal officer had verbally informed police that the child appeared to have been subjected to sexual assault, although this would only be confirmed after the final post-mortem report was officially issued.
* Victim's name withheld to
protect identity
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