TOBA TEK SINGH: A man allegedly set ablaze a married woman after failing to rape her at Faisalabad’s Chak 257-RB, Mazhabiwala, on Saturday, leaving the victim critically injured.

Police say 46-year-old married woman ‘H’ was alone at her house when a neighbour Kashif (25) barged in and attempted to rape her. As she offered resistance, the suspect doused her with petrol and set her ablaze. As a result, the woman suffered severe burns.

Alarmed by her cries, some locals intervened and extinguished the flames. They also overpowered the suspect, and called police.

Soon a team of Roshanwala police station reached the village and took the suspect in custody.

The woman was rushed to the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, where she was admitted to surgical intensive care unit for treatment.

As per doctors, the woman suffered 70 percent burns and will be shifted to the hospital’s burns unit as soon as her condition improves.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police Inspector General (IG) Rao Sardar Ali Khan, taking serious notice of the incident, directed Faisalabad Regional Police Officer (RPO) to submit a report to him.

The IG also directed the RPO to take a stern action against the arrested suspect as per the law if he was found guilty.

He also ordered Faisalabad city police officer (CPO) to personally supervise the investigation into the case after contacting the victim and her family.

The suspect, however, claimed that an unidentified man set the woman ablaze and he had entered the house to help her. The police are investigating the matter.

ARRESTED: Toba Tek Singh city police claimed to have arrested on Saturday head of an inter-district robbers gang and recovered Rs4.9 million cash, a mini-truck and a car from him.

A police official told the media that the suspect, Ilyas Khan of Dera Ghazi Khan, was not only involved in a number of robberies, but also ran a ring that purchased stolen and snatched vehicles.

He added that two of the gang members had recently been killed in encounter after being hit by the bullets allegedly fired by their own accomplices who had attacked police to free him. He said another gang member, Sayyam Waryam, had also recently been arrested.

The arrested suspect is also wanted by police of Multan, Layyah, Jhang, Sargodha, Mianwali, Khushab and Dera Ghazi Khan, the official claimed.

DPO Rana Shoaib Mahmood has announced prizes and certificates for the police team that arrested the suspect.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2022