KASUR: A rape victim attempted self-immolation by sprinkling petrol on her body after a local court acquitted the rape accused on December 5.
As per details, a policeman allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl in Baga Hithar village, in the limits of the Ganda Singh Police Station, in 2022. Two female relatives of the accused were also booked in the case, one for helping the rapist while the other was charged with forcing the victim to take medicine for abortion.
During the hearing, the prosecution claimed the accused raped the victim in the house of a female co-accused and impregnated her.
The victim remained mum because the accused had threatened her with dire consequences, claimed the FIR lodged on the complaint of the victim’s father.
Additional Session Judge Muhammad Azeem Sheikh on Friday acquitted all the three accused giving them the benefit of the doubt.
After hearing the verdict, the rape victim sprinkled petrol on her body near the treatment plant at the Dipalpur Road and set herself on fire.
Passersby rescued the woman but she suffered serious burn injuries and was rushed to the DHQ Hospital. She was later referred to the Lahore Jinnah Hospital because of her critical condition.
Meanwhile, District Police Officer Essa Khan Sukhaira ordered the SP investigation to look into the matter and inquire if there were flaws in the investigation leading to the acquittal of the accused persons.
Police spokesman said that the accused cop was dismissed from service after the incident was reported as he was found guilty during a police investigation. He claimed that the accused was acquitted from the court based on the findings of the DNA profiling.
Traffic ASIs held: The A Division Police have arrested two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of the traffic police for misbehaving with a rickshaw driver after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
According to the FIR lodged on the complaint of SI Ashfaq Ahmed, two traffic police assistant sub inspectors Abdul Razaq and Iftikhar Ahmed were seen in a video clip in which rickshaw driver Waqar Asghar of Qadirabad was imploring them to release his three-wheeler.
The officials, however, could be seen misbehaving with the driver. After the video went viral on social media with severe criticism from social circles, the DPO ordered the arrest of the officials.
According to the police, the driver of the three-wheeler had parked his rickshaw at a no parking spot, which prompted the incident.
Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2025.
