SAHIWAL: Shahkot police have registered a case against a 16-year-old deaf-mute girl and her mother under the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, for allegedly retracting rape allegations in exchange for money.

Reports said a woman, a resident of 34/14-L, initially filed a rape complaint on Sept 26, 2024, against a man, accusing him of raping her daughter ‘F’.

The police arrested the suspect and on Oct 10, a judge granted a 10-day physical remand. A DNA test conducted during the investigation confirmed a positive match with the suspect.

The investigators involved a special education teacher to translate the girl’s communication for both police and court records under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

However, during the judicial proceedings, both the mother and the daughter retracted their earlier statements, denying that any rape had occurred. It was also alleged that the mother accepted a substantial sum from the accused party in exchange for settling the case out of court and police jurisdiction.

Okanwala Bangla Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Mansha filed a complaint, leading to the registration of a case against the mother and daughter under Section 2 of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021.

Both the mother and daughter are yet to be arrested.

ARRESTED: Okanwala Bangla police claimed on Tuesday to have arrested a critically injured suspect during a shootout at village 57/12-L while a policeman was also wounded.

Police said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Hasan Saho sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg during an encounter with a group of armed outlaws. Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided an outhouse in the village where a double-murder suspect was reportedly hiding.

As soon as the police mobile unit arrived, the suspects opened fire. Police returned fire, leading to a shootout that lasted around 30 minutes. Following the exchange of firing, police found the prime suspect, Sakhawat, lying on the ground with critical bullet injuries. He was shot injured in firing by his own accomplices.

Police said Sakhawat is wanted in over 20 criminal cases, including a double murder, registered with Sahiwal police. His four to five accomplices managed to flee under the cover of darkness.

Both the injured suspect and ASI Hasan Saho were shifted to THQ Hospital in Chichawatni for medical treatment.

District Police Officer (DPO) Rana Tahir said police are conducting raids at multiple locations to arrest the remaining suspects.

DROWNS: An 11-year-old boy drowned in Lower Bari Doab canal while taking a bath with his friends on Tuesday.

The boy was identified as Ali Hasan, a resident of Railway Colony. Rescue 1122 divers are searching for the body.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2025