DERA GHAZI KHAN: A girl who attempted self-immolation at her house some 10 days ago, allegedly against ‘police injustice’, was shifted to burns unit of Nishtar Hospital, Multan, on Saturday.

Twenty-year-old ‘S’, a resident of Shakir Town locality of the city, was brought to Trauma Centre of the teaching hospital of DG Khan Medical College with 40pc burns, according to on-duty doctors. From there she was referred to Nishrat Hospital as the trauma centre lacked burns unit.

Sources said the parents of ‘S’ alleged their daughter had been gang-raped by four men, but Darahma police registered a case against only the prime suspect and let his three accomplices off the hook.

Family alleges she was gang-raped but only prime suspect was booked

To protest that ‘injustice’, they said, ‘S’ attempted self-immolation at her house some 10 days back.

Sources said her family in an attempt to keep the matter secret did not bring her to hospital earlier.

District Police Office Ghulam Mubashar Maikin told Dawn three months ago Darahma police had registered a rape case under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

He said the prime suspect was arrested and sent to jail while three others were declared innocent in police investigation.

He maintained that in primary police investigation gang rape could not be established.

The DPO said after the self-immolation attempt by ‘S’ the police had rearrested the three co-suspects to reinvestigate the case so that justice could be provided to ‘S’.

Police claimed that earlier, before attempting self-immolation, ‘S’ had refused DNA test.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and sought a report from regional police officer.

The CM directed the RPO to ensure justice to the affected girl and her family at all costs and legal action be taken against those creating hurdles.

He also ordered best treatment facilities for the girl at the hospital.

SHUTTER DOWN: Motorcycle dealers here on Saturday observed a complete shutter down against what they called a surge in incidents of bike snatching during the last one month.

The dealers accused city and B-division police of inefficiency claiming that motorcycles worth one million rupees had been stolen or snatched in the limits of the two police stations.

City Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rana Jan Mohammad held a meeting with the dealers’ representatives and assured them of recovery of stolen bikes and arrest of culprits.

Published in Dawn, August 31th, 2014