BAHAWALPUR: Three minor boys, one of them mentally-challenged, were allegedly raped by as many suspects, including a prayer leader and an 11-year-old boy, in separate incidents in the limits of different police stations in Lodhran district during the past 24 hours.

According to police, in the first incident, a prayer leader allegedly raped a seven-year-old boy in a room adjacent to a mosque at Basti Khanda of mauza Kote Lal Shah in the limits of Lodhran police station.

According to the FIR (No 71/25), registered under sections 376 (111) 377-B on the complaint of the victim’s father Faiz Khan, his minor son told him that he was raped two days ago by the prayer leader, who also threatened the child with dire consequences if he disclosed the matter.

Police claimed to have arrested the prayer leader.

Prayer leader, 11-year-old boy among suspects

In the second incident occurring in the limits of Kahrorepucca city police station, an eleven-year old suspect allegedly raped a three-year old child in his house in Mohallah Patwarian in the absence of the victim’s parents. The suspect manged to flee when the victim’s parents arrived there.

The police, on the complaint of the victim’s father, Fayyaz Hussain, registered an FIR (No 35/25) under section 376 (111) against the suspect,who, the police claim, has been arrested.

In the third case, a mentally-challenged boy was subjected to sexual assault by a suspect at a flour-grinding mill at Chak No 344/WB in the limits of Dunyapur city police station.

The police claimed to have arrested the suspect.

ARRESTED: Dunyapur police claimed to have arrested a suspect for allegedly raping and blackmailing a woman and forcing her husband to divorce her.

According to the FIR (No 32/25) registered under sections 376 (1) and 292 of the PPC on the complaint of the victim’s father, Abdul Rehman, a resident of Chak No 339/WB, the suspect had raped his daughter before her marriage and recorded a video of the heinous crime.

The complainant said that after his daughter got married, the suspect started blackmailing her and forcing her husband to divorce her.The police arrested the suspect from Ahmedpur East.

HIV PROBE: The Nishtar Medical University, Multan,Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mehnaz Khakwani and six others, including doctors and nurses appeared before a committee probing into the case of 25 patients getting infected with HIV at the facility’s Nephrology department last month.

The inquiry committee, headed by Punjab Transport Secretary Qazi Ahmed Javed and comprising South Punjab Special Secretary (health) Mr Amanullah, was formed by the Punjab government to take action against those responsible for the incident, under Peeda Act.

The committee recorded their statements with the assistance of Nishtar Hospital’s Additional Medical Superintendent (AMS) Dr Shahid Magsi and others official.

Meanwhile, as per official sources, an inquiry has been launched against eight medics and paramedical staff members for their alleged negligence, misconduct, and corruption in the case of theft of injections and other medicines at the burns unit of the Nishtar Hospital, Multan.

The sources said the inquiry committee, headed by Sargodha Commissioner Jahnazeb Awan and comprised Soth Punjab Special Secretary (health) Amanullah, has summoned the hospital employees for personal hearing on Jan 18.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2025