LAHORE: Police have so far failed to capture the prime suspect allegedly involved in Friday’s tragic incident of a gang rape with a 15-year-old girl at a local hotel. However, the police claimed that they were after the suspect and would arrest him soon.

On Friday, some 10 men allegedly raped the teenage girl in a hotel on The Mall after abducting her from outside her house in Rana Town on Multan Road.

On Sunday, the DNA test of six of the suspected rapists arrested by police and the victim were conducted by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.

DNA test of the arrested, girl conducted

Racecourse police registered the case against all the ‘rapists’ but could not arrest prime suspect-- PML-N’s Punjab Youth Wing additional secretary general Adnan and his three other accomplices. Those arrested were Abdul Majid, Muhammad Umer, Ameer Ahmed, Haris, Bilawal and Zaman.

Earlier, the girl in her statement alleged that the main suspect was personal staff officer (PSO) to Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood.

She said the suspect after abducting intoxicated her before taking her to the hotel room.

Civil Lines Division SP (Investigation) Irfan Ali Samo told Dawn that the DNA test of the girl and the arrested suspects were conducted and sent to forensic science laboratory. “We are hoping receipt of DNA results in a day or two. And as soon as we receive these the police will be able to produce these before the court,” he said.

The SP said raids were being carried out in various districts to arrest the main suspect.

He said police arrested the men on the information of the girl.

Sources told Dawn that since the prime suspect belonged to Okara district, police are conducting raids there in coordination with the local police.

Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said that he had no link with Mian Adnan involved in molestation of the girl.

In a news release, Rana Mashhood said he met different people during political activities but it did not mean that he was responsible for personal acts of someone.

He said Mian Adnan had applied for the ticket of UC-94 chairman in connection with local government election but his request was rejected due to his criminal past and irresponsible attitude and his link with PML-N was finished.

He said Adnan committed a heinous crime and police were investigating the case independently and the Punjab government would ensure that the culprit was taken to task.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2015