THATTA: Businessmen, traders and shopkeepers observed a shutter-down in Dhabeji town on Tuesday to express solidarity with the family of a private schoolteacher who had allegedly been subjected to gang-rape and killed late on Monday night.

A call for the shutter-down was given by the local traders’ association.

It was stated that the 17-year-old victim had left her home on Monday to see a friend of hers but did not return until late in the evening. Her body was found dumped in a graveyard in the town at night by some passers-by.

A taxi driver told the police that he was in love with victim and on Monday he took her to Karachi in a Suzuki high-roof. Upon their return to Dhabeji, her parents repeatedly called her to return home and she twice tried to jump out of the moving vehicle but he managed to restrain her, he said.

In the third attempt, she jumped out and was crushed under the wheels of a passing vehicle, he told police.

He said he dumped her body in the graveyard in panic.

The girl’s parents, however, rejected his version and alleged that he and his associates gang-raped and tortured her to death.

The body was taken to the Makli Civil Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was performed. The report confirmed that the girl was gang-raped. Her ribs were broken and there were marks of deep wounds in the head, neck and other parts of the body.

Police immediately picked up the father and brother of the taxi driver, who was also detained.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2014