LAHORE: Scores of residents lodged protest at Chowk Yateem Khana against the Millat Colony police who allegedly were favouring the suspects who raped a minor girl a few days ago.

They blocked the road for traffic, raised slogans against police and demanded action against the officials allegedly backing the suspects.

The family members who were among the protesters told the media that five men raped the minor girl on Feb 18. They lodged a complaint against them but police nominated one of them and lodged an FIR. The family alleged that they visited several times the police stations and other officers of the division but no one took notice.

As a last resort, they blocked the road to attract attention of the senior command of police, the family said, adding that they would not leave the place till action against all the suspected rapists in accordance with the original complaint.

Two hours long protest threw traffic out of gear and inconvenienced the public, especially the passengers of buses and other transport going to and from Babu Sabu and Niazi Adda. Senior police officers later reached the site, held negotiation with the agitators and assured them that the suspects would be taken to task during the course of investigation.

The protestors later dispersed peacefully.

ACCIDENT: A teenage driver suffered minor injuries after his car plunged into an open drain in Sattukatla area here Saturday.

Police said the incident occurred at Wapda Town Phase-I when teenage boy Talha was driving the car and lost his control. The boy suffered injuries.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2020