QUETTA: Personnel of law-enforcement agencies arrested on Thursday the main accused nominated in the kidnapping, rape and killing of two teenaged girls in Kalat.

Two girls, one 12 years old and the other 13 years old, went missing from Giawan village in Kalat district in the first week of December. Their corpses were recovered on December 20 from the outskirts of their village.

Police sources said the cousins were killed after being raped. Initial medical report confirmed the rape of the girls and death resulting from torture.

The incident was the first of its kind in Kalat. People and politicians of the area expressed dismay over the incident while Citizen Action Committee started a hunger strike. Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch also took notice of the incident after a JUI-F lawmaker, Ms Husn Bano Rakhasani, moved an adjournment motion on the issue in the provincial assembly.

She demanded of the government to take stern action on the incident which had sent shivers down the spine and generated angst among the people of Kalat.

Dr Malik directed the concerned authorities to immediately apprehend the criminals involved.

Official sources said on Thursday night that police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies, on a tip-off, raided a house situated at the eastern bypass and arrested the main accused.

“We have arrested the main accused nominated in the rape and killing of the two girls and concerned official were interrogating him,” a senior police official said adding that more arrests were expected soon.