Chichawatni’s Noor Fatima was not raped, police tell SC

–Police report says eight-year-old girl bought firecrackers on fateful day which resulted in burn injuries that ultimately killed her

LAHORE: Punjab police informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday that Chichawatni’s 8-year-old Noor Fatima was neither sexually assaulted nor set on fire and has termed her killing ‘accidental’.

In response to the Supreme Court’s directives, the police submitted an inquiry report to the bench, claiming that the allegations of the minor girl being set ablaze after being sexually assaulted were false.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had taken a suo motu notice of the case on April 12.

Noor Fatima, a second-grade student, had gone missing on Sunday evening after she left home to buy some sweets. When she did not return after a while, her family members and neighbours started looking for her and found her in a street in an unconscious state, with burns all over her body.

She was taken to Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, from where she was referred to Jinnah Hospital in Lahore due to her critical condition. According to doctors, she had received 70 to 80 per cent burns. The girl died during treatment late on Monday night. The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem.

Punjab police in its report said that no evidence of rape or immolation was found after a thorough investigation into the circumstance leading to her death. Nor is there any evidence to substantiate the allegations of sexual assault, it added.

The report stated that the minor went to a nearby shop and bought three toffees and firecrackers. Seven minutes later she was found screaming because of burn injuries outside her house, it added.

The police in its report assured the top court that a fair probe would be carried out into the incident.