KASUR, Oct 10: Khudian police claimed on Sunday to have held the four people accused of gang-raping a young schoolteacher and later setting her ablaze.

A case has also been instituted against the nominated men on the report of the victim's uncle Manzoor Ali.

According to reports, the 21-year-old teacher of the Government Primary Girls School at Basti Salamatpura adjacent to her house went to school on Oct 7, but did not return. The family went out in her search, but to no avail. However, a policeman informed the family on Friday that the girl had been admitted to a Kasur hospital.

Suspects Amjad Kumhar, Qurban alias Mithu, Imran Ashraf and Ali Hassan have been apprehended. When contacted, DPO Khadim Husain Bhatti told Dawn that the suspects had claimed their innocence in the case during the course of investigation.

He quoted them as alleging that the girl had developed illicit relations with Amjad Kumhar, one of them, and she had bought a ticket from station master Muhammad Alam of Mandi Usmanwala Railway Station on Oct 7 evening for coming to Kasur according to their settled programme.

The station master, when contacted, corroborated the claim that she had bought ticket from him for Kasur. Muhammad Saleem, son of Dost Muhammad, who is the owner of PCO at Bhalo Adda, is also being investigated.

Saleem told this correspondent on Sunday that the girl came to her PCO on Oct 8 and she was quite nervous. He quoted the girl as talking after dialling No 793297 installed at Mandi Usmanwala with some person that he had deceived her due to which she would depart her family members very soon since she has no right to remain alive.

The girl had a shopper, purse and a bottle containing some liquid with her and purchased a match box from the adjoining shop after making telephone call and used 28 units for which she paid Rs112 to him.

The police has also recorded the statement of a cashier of brick kiln where she was lying burnt. Salamat told this correspondent that at the time when the girl set her ablaze no one was present there.

Labourer Muhammad Abbas also confirmed that she had burnt herself and, thereafter, was brought to the DHQ Hospital by an auto-rickshaw from where her family was informed.

The DPO said a special team has been constituted under his supervision to probe the incident. SP (Investigation) Riaz Nazir Gara is heading the special team.