A 9-year-old girl was kidnapped, raped and strangled to death by unidentified men on Amir Road in the Shadbagh Police Station precincts on Thursday. The deceased girl’s family protested against the callous attitude of police and claimed that policemen reached the spot around one and a half hour late.
The deceased was identified as a resident of Shahdin Park Street 3, Shadbagh. Police said that local residents saw the body of a minor girl lying in the courtyard of a dysfunctional cold storage. After being informed by local residents, policemen reached the spot. Local residents, on their own, identified the body and informed the parents of the deceased, who also reached the spot.
Police removed the body of the deceased to the city morgue for autopsy and started investigating the matter after registering a case against unidentified killers on complaint of the deceased’s father. Shadbagh Police Investigation Incharge Mujahid Hussain said that the deceased was strangled to death by unidentified men, as police have found a cloth around her neck and a piece of paper in her mouth.
He said that during investigation, police saw blood spots on the mouth and nose of the deceased only and it is early to say that the girl was molested as well. Mujahid said that the autopsy report would reveal the cause of death and police have started probing into the matter and four men were taken into custody for interrogation after sniffer dogs identified them.
According to sources, police have taken watchman Saleem and his son Nadeem into their custody for interrogation. They claimed that police have arrested the said men because they were look after a building located on backside of the cold storage. According to sources, the building has a gate located on its backside, which opens directly into the cold storage.
Victim’s father Hameed said that Isha was studying in class three. He said that on Wednesday at around 3pm, Isha left her house to buy some eatables from a shop located a few yards from their house but never returned. Hameed said that they started searching her but of no avail. On early Thursday, few neighbours, after seeing the body at the said place, informed them after which they reached the spot and identified Isha.
The victim’s father blamed police for negligence. He said that after his daughter had gone missing, he went to police but the duty officer, without taking any action, asked them to file a complaint and leave. Hameed said that the duty officer asked them to note a number and call them on Thursday for knowing about the efforts made to search his daughter. An emotional Hameed requested government officials to take stern action against those responsible.
Mother of the deceased Najma Bibi told journalists that they belong to the lower class and have four children, two sons and two daughters. She said that Isha was youngest of the children and her killing is a big tragedy for them. Najma said that no one could bring her daughter back but the government and police could help them by nabbing those responsible.
People, who witnessed Isha’s body, said that her clothes were filled with blood and it was clear that the killers tried to molest her before killing. Local residents, including Abdullah, Tanveer and Waseem told Pakistan Today that police’s behaviour was extremely poor. They claimed that a sense of insecurity among local residents has increased since the last two months, as five similar incidents have happened. They claimed that even 15 Police reached the spot around one and a half hour late.
Local residents said that the suspect might also belong to the same area and the killers intentionally placed Isha’s body in the courtyard so that people could recognise it.
