KARACHI: A local court on Thursday remanded in police custody two suspects detained for allegedly harassing a female student in the Essa Nagri area.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly harassing a grade-X student and other female residents within the remit of the PIB police station.

On Thursday, the investigating officer produced both the suspects before the judicial magistrate (East) to seek their physical remand for interrogation and investigation.

The IO informed that a video went viral of a girl complaining about harassment by the suspects, who were detained on her complaint.

The IO further informed that according to the complainant both the men used to harass the complainant and other girls in the locality and also threatened to kidnap them if they complained against them.

The complainant claimed that last week when she was returning home with her sister, cousin and friend one of the locals slapped her sister.

She added that her parents went to lodge a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency and when they were returning from the FIA office another man beat her father.

The girl claimed that the local police were involved with the people harassing them, adding that she once attempted to commit suicide by consuming a toxic substance.

The IO asked the court to grant 14-day physical remand of the suspects in police custody for interrogation since investigation was still incomplete.

However, the judge granted two-day physical remand of the suspects in police custody with the direction to the IO to produce them on the next date along with an investigation report.

Earlier, the Sindh governor had reportedly taken notice of the girl’s video message circulating on social media and ordered the provincial police chief to arrest the persons involved in the incident.

A case was registered under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506-B (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 337-A (punishment for shajjah) and 509 (insulting modesty or causing sexual harassment) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Sections 6(2) and 6(3) of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2013 at the PIB Colony police station.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2020