Another suspect remanded in girl's rape, murder case

A judicial magistrate on Monday remanded another suspect in police custody in a case pertaining to the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl.

The investigating officer produced the suspect, Asim Ali, before Judicial Magistrate (South) Zahid Ali, and requested his 14-day physical remand for interrogation. He informed the court that suspect Waqar Ali was already in police remand until September 3, while Asim was arrested on Sunday. He said that during interrogation Asim confessed to strangling the minor with a piece of cloth and expressed willingness to lead the police to the spot where he dumped it.

The IO said a police party took the suspect to Do Darya to recover it, but he tried to break free from their clutches. At this, a gunshot was fired at his leg and he was taken into custody in an injured condition.

The IO requested the magistrate to grant the suspect's physical remand for further interrogation and arrest of their third accomplice. The magistrate, however, handed over the suspect to the police for one day and directed the IO to produce him along with suspect Waqar today.

The body of the 12-year-old girl was found in a trash dump in the Lucky Star area last month. She had been assaulted and strangled, according to the autopsy report. A case was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 365-B (kidnapping, abducting, or inducing a woman to compel for marriage, etc.), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.