16-year-old student held; police claim suspect confessed, disclosed assaults on other children
The gruesome incident has sparked concern in the area, with authorities pledging a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. PHOTO: PEXELS
HYDERABAD:
A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped and strangled to death at a seminary in Tando Adam, Sanghar district, with police arresting a 16-year-old student and claiming that he confessed to the killing during initial interrogation.
The incident occurred on Friday within the jurisdiction of the City police station after the child, identified as Dua, disappeared following Friday prayers at the Old Tableeghi Markaz.
According to her father, Asif Ansari, Dua had accompanied him to the mosque for Friday prayers but could not be found after the prayers ended. The family launched a search for her, while announcements were also made from the mosque seeking information about the missing child.
Her body was later found at the same seminary, prompting police to suspect that she had died an unnatural death.
The City police shifted the body to Taluka Hospital for a postmortem examination. The medico-legal examination was reportedly delayed for several hours due to the alleged unavailability of doctors and necessary equipment.
Taking notice of the delay, District Health Officer Dr Babar Wassan on Saturday constituted an inquiry committee and directed it to investigate the matter and submit its report within three days.
Police arrested 16-year-old Qasim, son of Abdullah Kandani, from the seminary and registered an FIR on the complaint of the victim’s father, nominating him in the rape and murder case.
City police claimed that the teenager confessed during initial interrogation to raping and killing the child and also disclosed that he had allegedly subjected other children to sexual assault. Police said these claims were being investigated.
An initial medical report also reportedly revealed fractures on the child’s body.
The victim’s family resides in the Anjum Mill area of Tando Adam, while the suspect’s family lives in Rasheed Stop, Sanghar.
12-year-old falls victim to ‘honour’
A 12-year-old girl was shot dead in an apparent honour-related killing in Mian Sahab, Shikarpur district, on Sunday, with police naming her uncle as the prime suspect and arresting her father and another nominated suspect.
According to Humayun Sharif police, the girl’s uncle, Qaimuddin Chandio, allegedly shot and killed his niece before fleeing the village.
Police shifted the girl’s body to hospital for medico-legal formalities and registered a case on behalf of the state, nominating Chandio, victim’s father Ziaul Haq Chandio and four other family members.
Two of the nominated suspects, including the girl’s father, have been arrested, while police are conducting further investigation and efforts are under way to arrest the remaining suspects.
Police said the motive was suspected to be linked to “honour”, though further investigation is under way to establish the circumstances and motive behind the killing.
