LARKANA: Police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a suspect of sexual assault on a six-year-old girl about a week ago in Thaheem Mohalla of Dokri town.

The incident took social media by storm and sparked protest by the girl’s parents and social activists against lukewarm attitude of police to arrest the main suspect in the assault case.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Masood Ahmed Bangash took notice of the incident and tasked SP Mohammad Kaleem Malik and Dokri DSP to immediately arrest the suspect and investigate the case.

On Tuesday, Dokri police registered FIR under Section 376 of the PPC against the suspect on a complaint lodged by the victim’s father, a labourer.

The father told police that his daughter had gone out of home to buy candy from a shop. When she became late he went in search of her and heard her screams coming from a half-closed shutter, he said.

He rushed there and witnessed the accused assaulting his daughter. The accused fled when he saw the father, according to police.

About late registration of FIR, he said he was busy consulting head of his community and with medical check-up of the girl.

However, late on Tuesday the accused was arrested for investigation. The suspect was currently lodged at Dokri police station.

District and Sessions Judge Syed Sharafuddin Shah also took notice of the incident and summoned Dokri SHO Altaf Hussain Wadho and the complainant in the FIR on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2021