GUJAR KHAN: A suspect being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting and killing his seven-year-old niece died of bullet injuries when his accomplices opened indiscriminate firing on a police team at the crime scene in Mandra, police said on Tuesday.

In the First Information Report (FIR), the girl’s father had reported that he and his family were celebrating Easter when his daughter playing outside the house disappeared at around 3pm on Sunday. He said at about 10pm, the body of his daughter was found in an under-construction house in the neighbourhood.

Police investigators led by ASP Syed Danial Hassan and SP Investigation Rawalpindi Saba Sattar had visited the crime scene and assured the family of arresting the culprit.

Following the instructions, the police on Monday evening took the suspect into custody, who turned out to be a 19-year-old maternal uncle of the victim.

According to police, the suspect lured the girl to the under-construction house and attempted to abuse her.

However, when she screamed and resisted his advances, he slashed her throat with a scissor and later assaulted her lifeless body. He then joined his victim’s parents in searching for her. The police said the man was taken into custody over his abnormal and suspicious behaviour, who later confessed to the crime.

In a press release over the arrest, the police had stated that the suspect was a drug addict and had confessed to first killing the girl and then subjecting her to sexual assault.

According to another press release issued by the police on Monday-Tuesday night, a police team was taking the suspect to the crime scene for the verification of facts and recovery of the murder instrument.

As the police reached the deserted house in the vicinity of the railway bridge, a gang of outlaws opened indiscriminate firing on the investigators.

The police ran for cover to save themselves and the suspect during which the suspect attempted to escape and was hit by bullets aimed at the police, said the press release.

The police shifted the injured suspect to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2025