SIALKOT, March 24: The Bambaanwala police claimed on Saturday to have arrested one of the five nominated accused in the case of torture and humiliation of a district council member and her mother for her refusal to develop illicit relations with the perpetrators.

The police arrested the accused in Bambaanwala village of Daska tehsil. Sialkot DPO Zubair Nawaz Chattha told journalists that the police had arrested Abdul Rehman and were conducting raids for apprehending the other four accused. He said the investigation into the case was being conducted on merit.

According to the FIR, five nominated accused Abdul Mannan, Abdul Rehman, Irfan, Amir and Sardar stormed into district council member Bushra Rafiq’s house at Bambaanwala village, dragged her out of room and humiliated her. They also beat up her ageing mother, tearing the clothes of the two women.

As the women raised hue and cry, the intruders took to the heels leaving the women injured.

The injured were discharged from the Daska THQ Hospital after treatment. Bushra Rafiq told newsmen that Irfan wanted to develop relations with her, but she would snub him every time he desired so. He would often threaten her and her family with dire consequences.

She said the accused enjoyed patronage of some influential politicians in the area and the police were reluctant to arrest them. They have urged the chief minister and the IGP to direct the Sialkot DPO and Daska DSP Arif Rasheed to arrest the accused without delay.