A girl who married against the wishes of her family was allegedly raped by influential members of a panchayat (village council) which was approached for the resolution of the issue in Tandlianwala, Faisalabad.
An application submitted with Tandlianwala police station by the victim's father-in-law says that she married his son out of her own will on October 10. But her father, unhappy with the marriage, approached the local panchayat and demanded the return of his daughter.
The applicant said that he handed over the victim — his daughter-in-law — to two members of the panchayat in the presence of villagers on November 7 on the promise that she will be returned to his home after a proper rukhsati ceremony arranged by her father.
However, three panchayat members repeatedly raped the victim after taking her to their own home and threatened to kill her if she attempted to flee or shout, the application alleges. The victim finally managed to escape on December 12 and reached her husband's home where she informed the family of her ordeal.
The applicant said that the accused threatened his family and his son — the victim's brother-in-law — was briefly kidnapped on December 13 with the intention of murder, a first information report (FIR) of which has been filed separately.
