NAROWAL: An influential man, with the help of his accomplices, allegedly manhandled a poor widow and her family members and set their house on fire on Friday night to punish her for reporting to police his “attempt to rape her daughter-in-law” more than a week ago, at Naatay Wali village of Shakargarh tehsil.

According to initial police investigations, the suspect had barged in the house of the poor widow on Sept 14 and attempted to rape her daughter-in-law ‘F’. However, both the women offered resistance and frustrated his attempt. At this, the suspect took out his pistol, hit ‘F’ on her head with its butt, leaving her injured. When the women raised an alarm, the suspect fled the scene.

The widow reported the matter to Shah Gharib police station by filing a complaint against the suspect.

The woman had lodged a complaint with police

The police registered a case against the suspect, but did not arrest him.

When the suspect came to know about the case against him, he got furious and again barged in the widow’s house with his accomplices.

The intruders allegedly manhandled the widow and her family members and set her house ablaze after sprinkling petrol there. As a result, the house was reduced to ashes and its roof collapsed.

According to local sources, the widow and her family members moved to some other place as they had been receiving life threats from the suspect.

The police were yet to take action against the suspect and his accomplices.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2018