Students’ rally in Mansehra demands public hanging of molestation accused

MANSEHRA: Students of various schools and colleges on Wednesday held a rally to protest the sexual assault on a four-year-old girl and demanded the public hanging of the accused whose family members surrendered him to the police on Wednesday.

“The cases of rape and assault of minor children have rapidly been increasing and the government should ensure the speedy trial of the case to hang the accused publicly to make him an example for the others,” a student leader told the protesters at the Khatm-e-Nabuwat Chowk here.

The students’ rally, which started from Abbottabad road, turned into a public gathering at the Chowk. Holding banners and placards, the protesters marched through various roads and raised slogans demanding justice for the victim girl.

The residents of the area have socially boycotted the entire family of the accused and expelled them from the village with their household goods and cattle. A heavy contingent of police was deployed in the area in order to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Mohammad Sabir, who is stated to be the brother of the accused, told reporters that his family had surrendered his brother to the police.

“If my brother is involved in such a heinous crime, we would not back him at any platform and let the court decide his fate,” Sabir said. According to the FIR lodged with City Police Station, the accused Abdul Sattar, stated to be father of several children, had taken the victim girl to agricultural fields and assaulted her there.