KARACHI: A high-level team formed by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho has launched an investigation into the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Karachi’s Quaidabad, collecting DNA samples from over a dozen suspects from the same neighbourhood.

The body of Kulsoom Mohammed Qasim, who had left her home to play outside in Muslimabad Colony on Tuesday afternoon, was found stuffed in a gunny bag at a main gate of the street leading to her home near Mustafa Masjid in Muslimabad later that evening. Doctors confirmed that she was subjected to “violent rape” before being murdered.

Malir SSP (Investigation) Majida Perveen Halepota told Dawn on Thursday that the police had taken DNA samples from some suspects and were awaiting lab reports for possible matches.

Another member of the investigation team told Dawn that a team of doctors, led by police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, had taken DNA samples of 12 suspects from the same neighbourhood, some of whom were relatives of the victim. The officer said the samples had been sent to a lab at the University of Karachi (KU) and that the results were expected soon.

The officer said that, based on reports provided by the Special Branch and local informants, investigators were focusing on three possible suspects who were said to be close relatives of the victim.

The officer said they planned to detain these suspects for interrogation, but a breakthrough in the case would depend on any DNA match from the KU laboratory.

The officer added that the investigation team was “certain” that the suspect(s) belonged to the same neighbourhood as the victim.

A case has been registered by the Quaidabad police on the complaint of the girl’s father against unknown persons, under Sections 302 (premediated murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 376 (punishment for rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 363 (kidnapping) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On Wednesday, Dr. Syed described the gruesome murder as “one of the most horrific cases” she had seen in her career.

“All rape-murder cases of children are horrific, but some are more [terrible] than the others. This was one of them. Really disturbing,” she said.

Meanwhile, IGP Odho formed a committee led by the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Karachi’s East Zone to conduct a transparent inquiry into the case.

“People involved in this horrific incident do not deserve any leniency and they will be taken to task,” he said.

Earlier this week, Sargodha police said they had arrested four suspects in the murder case of a seven-year-old girl, whose body was found in a shop. The prime suspect in the case was accused of trying to rape the girl before killing her.

However, a day later, the main suspect in the case was killed in an alleged encounter with a Crime Control Department (CCD) team after he allegedly escaped from police custody.