On Monday, August 23rd, two rickshaw drivers, Umar Farooq and Mansab, were said to be arrested for allegedly raping a woman and her teenage daughter.
Earlier before, the woman and her daughter had registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the two men under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code which is a non-bailable offense.
According to the account stated in the FIR, the 35-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter had arrived in a bus from Vehari to Thokar Niaz Baig around 10 pm on Sunday night. From there, they hailed a rickshaw to go to Officer’s Colony, Saddar Cantonment Board; the rickshaw driver used an unfamiliar route and took them to an isolated area near LDA Avenue.
After stopping the rickshaw in a remote place, a second man arrived and both men gang-raped both women.
According to the mother, the men would cover their mouths with their hands and would try to strangle them if they struggled or attempted to yell out for help. Later on, when a car came close, the man and his accomplice fled the scene in a rush as both women began to scream for help, leaving behind their rickshaws. After hearing the women’s screams, someone proceeded to call the police who soon arrived at the scene.
As per the woman’s statement, the two men also stole Rupees 5000 from them along with their mobile phones.
DNA samples were taken from both mother and daughter, and the mother was asked if she would be able to identify the suspects if they were brought before her, to which she said yes.
According to Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), the suspects were identified and arrested the very next day, with the help of the latest technology. He said that both men had preceding criminal records, which included sexual assault cases, and that both had been habitual offenders.
Dogar further stated that evidence had been collected from the crime scene, the victims had been taken to the hospital for medical examinations, and that the case would be presented in court after carrying out the entire investigation.
Ghulam Mahmood Dogar also revealed that the suspects involved in the assault case have also been involved in many other assault cases. He added in a press conference that the two men were involved in a number of rape cases along with a history of criminal records.
