Punjab police said on Wednesday that it had apprehended three suspects for their alleged involvement in a gang rape case in Raiwind, while raids were ongoing to apprehend two others, including a cop.

A case was registered at the Raiwind City police station on Sunday by a woman under Pakistan Penal Code Sections 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 354A (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 375A (gang rape), and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint).

The complainant said she worked as a maid and was in her house on Sunday when policemen barged into the house, brought a deaf boy with them, and began beating him. She said the policemen began shouting and alleged that she was running a prostitution den, which she denied and told them about her actual job.

The woman said the policemen refused to listen to her. Meanwhile another cop entered her house with an unknown person and began beating him.

She further said that the suspects subsequently took her 14-year-old daughter and niece into another room and sexually assaulted them one after another.

The woman added that the suspects also recorded the incident and threatened that they would post the videos on social media if any complaint or case was lodged.

The woman pleaded to take action against those involved involved in raping her daughter and niece.

A statement from the police spokesperson issued today said “timely action” was taken and three suspects were arrested while a search was ongoing for the other two.

It added that only one of the suspects was a policeman, who had gone to the crime scene “in his personal capacity and there was no police raid under way at the time of the incident.”

“The post in-charge has also been suspended for not immediately informing the higher officers about the serious incident

“The DIG (deputy inspector general of police) Operations is monitoring all the proceedings of the incident,” the statement said.

“Whether it is a citizen or a police officer, no one is above the law. Those who take the law into their own hands and commit injustice against civilians are deserving of no mercy,” it quoted DIG Faisal Kamran as saying.