Alleged rape victim commits suicide in Muzaffargarh

Published October 13, 2015
DPO Muzaffargarh said that the woman was a police informer ─ Reuters/File
DPO Muzaffargarh said that the woman was a police informer ─ Reuters/File

MUZAFFARGARH: An alleged rape victim committed suicide in front of a police station in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab early Tuesday morning.

The woman, who was severely injured in the self immolation attempt was taken to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Muzaffargarh and was later referred to the Multan Nishtar Hospital.

The woman doused her clothes with petrol and set herself on fire outside Muzaffargarh's City police station to protest against 'non-provision of justice in a rape case', doctors at the DHQ hospital said quoting the victim.

We could not save her life despite efforts, 80 percent of her body was burnt, sources in Nishtar Hospital told Dawn.

District Police Officer (DPO) Muzaffargarh Owais Ahmed told Dawn that the woman was a police informer and had helped CIA police apprehend a number of wanted criminals.

"In her statement to the doctor today she claimed that she was raped by Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Noor and a constable Adbul Qayyum but there is no First Information Report (FIR) registered in any police station of the district regarding the crime."

Earlier on Sunday, the woman had reached compromise with two police constables namely, Munna and Abdul Qayyum, in a robbery case. She had stated in an FIR that she was beaten and robbed of her valuables by the two constables but later reached a compromise and withdrew the case, said the DPO.

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif had taken notice of the suicide attempt and had ordered the District Police Officer (DPO) to immediately submit a report over the incident.

Hospital representatives maintained that 80 per cent of her body was burnt in the self immolation attempt.

Earlier in March 2015, a rape victim in Muzaffargarh had died after she set herself ablaze to protest against a police report which helped her alleged rapist obtain bail.

Besides offering a job to the brother of the deceased girl, the CM had announced a compensation of Rs500,000 for the victim’s family.

Also Read: Panchayat returns, orders ‘gang-rape’

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