Daily Times

KARACHI: One person was killed and several others injured after residents of Manghopir area were protesting for justice for a minor girl who was kidnapped and later killed after being raped in Manghopir area of Karachi’s Organi town on Tuesday afternoon.

Body of the six-year-old girl was found early morning lying in the bushes near Khairabad in Karachi Oragni town. According to police, she was raped before she was slaughtered. She went missing from her home on Sunday.

The news spread in the area like wildfire. The relatives and hundreds of the local residents took to the streets along with the corpses, blocked the road leading to Kati Pahari and demanded authorities take notice of the incident and arrest those involved in the incident.

The police tried to quell the protest. Upon failure, they fired tear gas shells, opened aerial firing and baton-charged the protesters. A contingent of Rangers was also called in. Later, according to eye witnesses, police baton charged the protesters and started aerial fire and later in straight fire, several protesters were injured.

“Policemen were shooting direct to the protesters,” said Muhammad Salman, an eye witness.

As a result, two protesters were severely injured and taken to Jinnah hospital where one, identified as Abdul Rehman, succumbed to his wounds. “He got a bullet in the head that was the actual cause of his death,” said JPMC executive director, Dr Seemin Jamali.

The family members of the girl agreed to call off the protest, but the others refused to leave till justice was dispensed.
Later, after negotiation with family members, police transported the body to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities. Medico-legal officer at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Dr Rubina examined her body and confirmed that she was raped before she was killed. “There were marks of cigarette burns on her body,” said Dr Runbia.

Sindh Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal ordered the Additional Inspector General (IG) to conduct an investigation about the rape and murder of the six-year-old.

“One person died and 15 police officers were injured in protests,” he said. “We’re investigating as to who organised the protest.” He added that a case had been registered for the rape and murder.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has strongly condemned rape and murder of the minor girl in Karachi’s Manghopir area and asked Sindh government for stern action against the culprits involved in this barbaric act.

In a statement, the PPP Chairman said that tormentors and killers of Rabia won’t be allowed to flee from the iron-clutches of law and urged that they must be severely punished as per law.

He expressed sympathies with the parents of the victim and assured them that PPP government will take every step to provide justice to them.