BAHAWALNAGAR: Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly torturing a transgender person, a former victim response officer (VRO) at the Bahawalnagar DPO office, to death for refusing to withdraw a case of harassment and violence registered against them.
According to the B Division police, Rashid alias Zoya, a transgender person from Mohalla Farooqabad, was on her way to the DHQ Hospital along with her sister Mehnaz Bano on Oct 23 when she was attacked with sticks by four people, including Waqas and Suleman. She succumbed to the injuries on Oct 24.
Explaining the motive for the animosity, police officials told Dawn that the deceased had registered a case against the suspects and she had allegedly received death threats from them.
The suspects sought relations with the victim but on her refusal, they started harassing and threatening her.
The victim had registered an FIR against them with the B Division Police Station a month ago.
The transperson had previously served for several years as a VRO at the DPO office to address the challenges faced by the transgender community.
A police spokesperson said a murder case had been registered against the four suspects and two of the nominated suspects, who were brothers, had been arrested.
BOOKED: A Haroonabad Pera Force official has been suspended from service and a case had been filed against him on charges of raping a woman after taking her to a house under the guise of marriage.
The FIR registered with the B-Division police stated that a girl from Sadaat Colony alleged that about a year ago, she became acquainted with a Pera official during the recruitment examinations. Following this, the official began maintaining contact with the girl through phone and pledged to marry her.
Around two months ago, under the pretext of introducing her to his family, he lured her to a vacant house in Model Town, where he allegedly subjected her to sexual assault.
According to Pera Force sources, the suspect, a resident of Cheema Town, Bahawalpur, was currently posted as an investigating officer in Haroonabad. Following the incident, he was suspended from service and an inquiry was initiated against him.
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2026
