KARACHI: Police on Tuesday said that they were treating the suspected suicide of a teenage domestic help in a DHA house on May 12 as a rape and murder case.

The 17-year-old girl was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a dupatta in the residence of a doctor in Khayaban-i-Bukhari, Phase-VI. However, based on circumstantial evidence the police started an investigation as they suspected that it might not be a case of suicide.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by doctors at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre to ascertain the exact cause of her death.

While the final autopsy report was still awaited, DIG-South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Tuesday that “some findings of an initial autopsy report indicated that the victim was subjected to a sexual assault”.

“Hence, suspicion of homicidal/unnatural death cannot be ruled out,” he said.

However, the DIG observed that final opinion would be formed after getting final post-mortem report and further investigation.

He said that he had directed the DSP-Darakhshan to record the statements of the victim’s parents to register a case of murder and rape against the suspect(s).

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed told Dawn that the post-mortem findings showed “ligature mark incompletely circling the neck, with injuries on mouth, back of neck and eye”.

She said the physical findings were suggestive of a sexual assault.

The DIG said that the owner of the house and his family were not present and the girl was alone.

Investigations suggested that she was emotionally involved with an unknown boy, who was allegedly blackmailing her, he said, adding that the police were trying to locate the boy.

However, all these aspects would be thoroughly investigated after the parents lodged an FIR, he added.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Women Development Shaheena Sher Ali took notice of the incident and asked the police to register a case on behalf of the state if her parents did not come forward.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2024