RAHIM YAR KHAN: A woman, along with her family members, protested against the city C-Division police for arresting and then releasing an influential person and his accomplices, who allegedly kidnapped and raped her for seven days, around three months back.

The woman (S) and her family members staged the protest at the District Press Club on Friday, where she told reporters that on November 7, 2022, she was going home with her husband and a minor son on a motorcycle.

She said her husband dropped her at Challan Wala bridge, near the C-Division police station, and went to get fuel for his bike from a nearby petrol pump.

She said that she was waiting for her husband to return, when prime suspect ‘M’, with some unidentified men, arrived there and abducted her at gunpoint.

The suspects, she said, took her to an unknown location and detained her there for seven days.

She alleged that during her confinement she was raped by different men.

Meanwhile, her husband got registered an FIR (No 527/22) at the C Division police station under sections 496 A and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code, after which the police conducted a raid and recovered her, arresting the suspects.

However, she said the police later released all the suspects allegedly because of the pressure of the influential man. She alleged that now the investigation officer of the case was demanding Rs30,000 bribe for arresting the prime suspect.

Police spokesperson Saif Ali Wains, expressed his ignorance about the incident, claiming action would be taken against the suspects on merit.

FIRE: A fire broke out in an oil mills at Khanpur, some 48kms from here on Friday.

Reports said the fire erupted in the Ittehad Oil Mills due to a leaking gas valve.

The mill owner claimed material worth millions was reduced to ashes in the fire. Rescue 1122 firefighters, reaching the spot, controlled the blaze after two hours.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2023