HYDERABAD: The Khairpur housemaid, who died in mysterious circumstances, was subjected to a sexual assault, revealed the initial findings of a post-mortem report on Sunday.

Health Services Director General Dr Irshad Memon said that a six-member team had conducted the post-mortem examination of the nine-year-old domestic help after exhuming the body.

He said that the team had reserved the cause of the girl’s death till the reports of a chemical examiner.

Quoting the provisional report, Dr Memon states: “Post-mortem findings are suggestive of vaginal as well as anal penetration.”

Police rescue three more maids from Ranipur haveli

The report noted: “Nine injuries of different dimensions and measurement. All injuries are ante-mortem in nature. Both eyelids were found swollen with greenish blue discoloration.”

The provisional report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was signed by Prof Dr Jawaid Ahmed Qureshi; Dr Sultan Rajpar; Dr Amanulah Bhangwar, additional police surgeon at Nawabshah; Dr Yasmeen Jokhio, chief woman medico-legal officer at Naushahro Feroze Civil Hospital; Dr Waqar Ahmed Shaikh, police surgeon Hyderabad and Dr Summaiya Syed, police surgeon Karachi.

Earlier, the exhumation was carried out under the supervision of Prof Zakiuddin Ahmad, head of department of forensic medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi.

DNA samples collected from suspects

The Ranipur police have obtained DNA samples of the suspects in the maid’s murder case.

They picked up chief suspect’s Asad Shah’s father, Khair Shah, and his sons — Masood Shah and Sattar Shah as well as their servant, Bachal Abbasi — and took them to the Gambat government hospital for taking their DNA samples.

The police also arrested Ali Hassan Wassan, a retired doctor of health department, who was working in a government hospital in Ranipur.

Khairpur SSP Rohail Khoso said that Dr Wassan was in police custody and it would be decided later whether he had any role in the case.

He confirmed that some more suspects were in police custody including Ranipur SHO Ameer Ali Chang but it had not yet been decided whether he was to be booked in the case.

“We will produce some of the suspects in court to obtain their remand and their names will be disclosed tomorrow (Monday),” he said.

“We have obtained DNA samples of Asad’s father and brothers,” he said.

The Ranipur police conducted a search of the residence of Pir Asad Shah — prime suspect in the maid’s murder case — and rescued three maids, aged between 30 and 50 years. Their identities were being protected.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2023