LAHORE: The entire staff of Ghaziabad police station, including its station house officer (SHO), was placed under suspension on Tuesday hours after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) allegedly raped a mentally challenged young girl on the premises on Sunday.

The ASI, belonging to the investigation wing of the police, was also arrested and sent behind bars.

The first such massive departmental action was initiated when the victim girl was brought to the police station where she identified the alleged rapist and the room where he had taken her to commit the crime.

The station house officer and the investigation wing in-charge were also among the 78 police officials who faced suspension for being negligent in the wake of the sexual assault on the girl.

Lahore DIG (Operations) Faisal Kamran said the girl was allegedly raped by an ASI inside a room on the upper floor of the Ghaziabad police building.

He said the girl had identified, in the presence of senior police officials, the exact room where she was allegedly raped.

The entire staff (78) of the police station was placed under suspension because, according to police rules, everyone posted there was responsible for keeping a check on any violation within the jurisdiction of the place of posting.

“I am regretful to share that no one from them bothered to inquire as to why the ASI had brought a girl to the police station in the absence of the female personnel,” Faisal Kamran said.

A report regarding the suspension of 78 police personnel and officials has also been made part of the official record.

Separately, a first information report (FIR) of the rape, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was also registered with the Ghaziabad police station under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code and 155-C of Police Order, 2002, which outlines penalties for misconduct by police official.

The FIR quotes the complainant, the girl’s father, as saying that his daughter, aged around 20, had left home on Sunday afternoon and did not return for a long time.

He said during a search a man told him that a policeman in civvies had taken his daughter with him on a motorbike.

“We then rushed to the Ghaziabad police station at around 9pm. But as soon as we reached there, my brother called and told me that my daughter had returned home,” the complainant told police, adding that his daughter was crying when he reached home.

A police official said DIG Investigation Zeeshan Raza had first taken notice of the incident and issued an order to arrest the ASI.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2026