BAHAWALPUR: Police claimed to have arrested on Wednesday a prayer-leader for allegedly raping a deaf and mute boy in Bahawalpur district, while another man was held for attempted sexual assault on a girl in Lodhran district.

In the first incident, Sammasatta police in Bahawalpur district claimed to have arrested a prayer-leader on the charge of raping a teenage deaf and mute boy.

According to the complainant, Mukhtiar Ahmed, a resident of Mauza Tealianwala, the suspect ‘S’, a prayer-leader in a local mosque, took his nephew ‘H’, who is deaf and mute, along on his motorcycle to a desolate place last Friday and raped the boy.

He alleged that the suspect had been raping the boy for some time, threatening him with dire consequences if he disclosed his crime.

The police registered FIR No 456/26 under section 376 of the PPC on the complaint and claimed to have arrested the suspect. The victim was referred to hospital for medical examination.

In the second incident, Galiwala police in Lodhran district, have arrested a suspect, A, for the alleged rape attempt on a girl.

According to police, as per the complainant, his niece ‘S’ was alone in her house, when the suspect attempted to rape her. However, on hearing her screams, locals rushed to the scene, making the suspect flee.

After registration of the case, the police arrested the suspect.

CONVICTED FOR RAPE: Lodhran Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Ayyaz awarded 14-year rigorous imprisonment (RI), along with Rs1 million fine to a rapist of a three-year old girl ‘A’ at Mauza Khanwah Ghalwan in the limits of Qureshiwala police station in 2024.

According to the prosecution, the complainant, Usama Madni, in FIR No 556/24, registered under sections 376 and 377 of the PPC on October 3, 2024, said the convict, Mukhtiar, raped his three-year-old daughter after taking her along on the pretext of buying candies for her.

After committing the heinous crime, Mukhtiar fled the scene. Qureshiwala police registered the case and later arrested the convict, submitted the challan in the court.

The court announced the verdict with orders that in case of default on fine payment, the convict will have to serve an additional six-month imprisonment.

TWO KILLED: Two labourers – Ahmed Nawaz (45) and Umer Farooq (18) – died, while another, identified as Asif (30) was injured when a wall of factory godown collapsed on them.

The incident occurred on Jhangiwala Road in the suburbs of Bahawalpur city.

Police reached the scene for legal action.

SUCCUMBS TO BURNS: A youth who had attempted suicide on Tuesday by setting himself ablaze, succumbed to his burns in Nishtar Hospital on Wednesday.

As per police, Iqrar (23), a resident of Mohallah Gulabpura in Lodhran city, had doused himself with petrol and set fire, suffering critical burns.

The police say that Iqrar worked in Lahore against a meager pay and was allegedly frustrated as he could not pay the electricity bill of his house in Lodhran.

Besides, one Ismail (33) suffered injuries in a gas cylinder blast in his house in Noor Colony, Bahawalpur city.

A Rescue 1122 team shifted him to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) for treatment.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026