Man who raped and murdered minor girl killed in encounter: police

Manghopir DSP claims suspect’s CNIC was found near the six-year-old
victim’s body; man arrested earlier on family’s suspicion to be released

Police claimed to have killed in an encounter on Monday the man who allegedly raped and murdered a six-year-old girl in Manghopir on May 16. 

SHO Peerabad police station Muhammad Mithal said police officials were stationed outside the Paracha graveyard for snap-checking when the man, identified as Hamza, showed up with an associate on a bike.

On being signalled to stop, the bikers attempted to flee under heavy aerial firing, but the police managed to hit the rapist, the SHO added.

Taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the police official said that it was at the hospital that his identity was confirmed and that he was wanted by the Manghopir police in a rape and murder case.

As per Manghopir police station’s SHO, Haji Sanaullah, the police had arrested another person on suspicion of the victim’s family.

Confirming that the man was killed in an encounter by the Peerabad plice, DSP Manghopir Abdul Ghafoor Lakho, however, claimed that Hamza was the main accused and that his CNIC was found from the spot where the victim’s body was recovered.

He said the man killed and the one currently in the police’s custody, were both identified by the family as suspects. However, the latter would be released now that the main accused has been killed, the DSP added. 

DSP Lakho said Hamza had gone into hiding since the body of the girl was found.

Nevertheless, the police is getting a DNA test conducted of the deceased to confirm that he was involved in the rape and killing of the minor girl.  

A six-year-old girl was found dead in Manghopir on May 16 a little after midnight. Although the police officials were hesitant to confirm the report, it was strongly suspected that the minor was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death.

As per details, the six-year-old child went missing from her house a day before her body was recovered.

Manghopir police station’s Duty Officer (DO) Ijaz said the victim’s father visited the police station at 9:00pm on Monday regarding his daughter’s disappearance.

“In his statement, the father told us the victim left her house at around 2:00pm on Monday after her aunt slapped her for refusing to go the madrasa,” said the DO, adding a call about a child’s dead body was received at 12:40am on Tuesday. 

The area SHO, Haji Sanaullah, told The News that the MLO’s report confirmed that the minor was strangled to death. However, when asked about reports of sexual assault, he said investigations were at a preliminary stage. Similarly, SSP West Nasir Aftab did not reply to a question about whether the minor was sexually assaulted. 

However, an official of the Manghopir police who had orders to not talk on the issue said the minor was gang raped.

When the SSP West was contacted again, he claimed it was yet to be confirmed if the child had been gang raped.