LAHORE: Multan police on Thursday arrested a station house officer, an investigating officer (IO) and a moharar for not registering a rape case after receiving complaint six days ago.

The complainant ‘S’ on Wednesday evening died by suicide after consuming poisonous pills in protest against police inaction.

The complainant approached Budhla Sunt police on July 10, saying that suspect ‘I’ allegedly entered into her house and raped her. She said that she went to the house of the suspect where his mother and other relatives allegedly tortured her and she reported the incident on 15 but no action was taken against them.

She demanded registration of a rape case against the suspect.

However, New Multan DSP Muhammad Irshad, Budhla Sunt SHO Azeem Zulfiqar, SI Muhammad Waseem and moharar Muhammad Naeem received the complaint on July 10 and did not register the case till July 15. The victim opted for suicide in the evening [July 15].

Punjab IG Abdul Kareem suspended DSP New Multan Irshad from service and ordered a case against the SHO, IO and moharar.

A police report available with Dawn states that the SHO had claimed that he did not receive any rape complaint while the investigating officer did not go for medical examination of the victim and did not submit swabs to the laboratory.

A case under section 155c of the PPC was registered against three police officials who were also arrested.

A senior police official on condition of anonymity told this reporter that the SHO, IO and the moharar were involved in misconduct for delaying the case.

He said the woman called the suspect and asked him to visit her house otherwise she would consume poison and he would be responsible for her death. The official also shared the recorded call voice note with Dawn.

However, the suspect was refusing to visit her and saying how he would be responsible for her death.

Later, a team led by DIG (IAB) Ahmad Nasir Virk also visited Multan to hold an inquiry. The team recorded the statements of the relative of the victim, her neighbours and policemen. The DIG will submit the report to the IG in a day or two.

Budhla Sunt Police registered rape case against the suspect on victim’s complaint on July 16 while murder case was also filed against the suspect on behalf of the state.

According to the murder case, the suspect forced the woman to swallow poisonous pills and it resulted in her death at Nishtar Hospital.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2026