BAHAWALPUR: A minor boy was allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered by two suspects, including his cousin, who later dumped his body in the fields near Basti Muradpur at Khanwah village in the limits of Qureshiwala police station in Lodhran district.

According to Lodhran district police spokesperson, who claimed the arrest of the prime suspect, a cousin of the seven-year-old victim, the incident took place on Sunday.

According to the victim’s father, his son went to buy candies from a shop in the locality, but did not return. The worried family of the boy searched for him, but to no avail.

However, they were informed by some locals that the boy was last seen in the company of his cousin and another youth.

On Tuesday, the boy’s body was found in a field near the village, with marks of injuries on his neck, face and head.

The police shifted the body to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy.

Reporting the matter to police, the complainant said the victim’s cousin had a grudge against him because of a dispute over a street passage.

The police registered an FIR and arrested the main accused.

GIRL RAPED: A man allegedly raped a minor girl in the limits of Dera Nawab Sahib police station in Ahmedpur East tehsil on Tuesday.

According to police, the victim’s mother said in her complaint that in her absence, the suspect ‘K’ came to her house and lied to her minor daughter that her father had been admitted to hospital in an emergency situation.

She said the suspect allegedly took her daughter to a house where he raped her at gunpoint. The suspect also threatened the victim with dire consequences if she informed anyone about the rape, she added.

The Dera Nawab Sahib police registered an FIR (No 192/24) under section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code and sent the girl for medical examination.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2024