ABBOTTABAD/MANSEHRA: The Abbottabad police have collected samples of at least 44 suspects for DNA testing in the rape and murder case of a three-old-girl in order to trace the killer, official sources told Dawn here on Friday.

The samples have been sent for DNA test and forensic examination to the laboratory, they said, adding that the police had set up a camp office in the area to find clue to the culprit.

The minor girl was abducted from Kayla village and her body was found dumped near her house three days ago. Autopsy on the body had confirmed that the girl was subjected to rape before being murdered.

Meanwhile, civil society activists and political workers organised protest rallies in Havelian and other parts of the district to demand early arrest of the culprit behind the girl’s murder.

Also in the day, participants of a rally in Mansehra on Friday demanded of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the incident wherein a minor girl was killed in Havelian area of Abbottabad a few days ago.

“Our society will never tolerate such a brutality where a three-year-old girl is first sexually assaulted and then put to death,” Iftikhar Alam Advocate, a participant, told the rally, which started from the press club and marched on the Abbottabad and Shinkiari roads.

The participants chanted slogans, demanding immediate arrest and public hanging of the killer.

“We want justice for the bereaved family and public execution of the killer as we don’t want such heinous crimes repeated in future,” said Mr Alam.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Tayyab, another participant, said that if the perpetrator of the crime was not arrested a countrywide agitation would be launched against the incident.

The participants also offered Fateha for the departed soul.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2018