Rape-murder accused uncles, cousins killed in Bahawalpur police ‘encounter’

Four accused involved in murder and gangrape of a 10-year-old girl were killed during a police encounter in Bahawalpur on Monday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to police, the accused were killed by the firing of their own comrades, who opened fire on the police party near Southern Bypass when the accused were taken for recovery in connection with the case.

A few days ago Fiza Bibi, a student of class three, was gangraped and then murdered by his two uncles (maternal) and two cousins.

The police said they were taking the accused for recovery when they were attacked by motorcycle riders near Southern Bypass within the limits of Saddar Police Station. This led to an alleged encounter with the gunmen in pitched darkness, resulting into death of all four accused by the firing of their comrades.

The slain relatives were identified as Umar, Ans, Kamran and Mahmood.

The police had arrested the four key suspects involved in the rape and murder of the girl two days ago. The arrests were made under the supervision of ASP Agha Fasihur Rehman, with SHO Rao Shehzad Babar and his team successfully tracing the culprits.

According to reports, the perpetrators – two uncles and two cousins of the victim – assaulted the little girl and then slit her throat.

The police said action to arrest the culprits was taken following DNA results received from Forensic Science Agency. Special investigation headed by ASP (Sadar) Circle had been formed to conduct investigation into the case.

Fiza Bibi went missing when she went out of her house to fetch water from a nearby water pump.

The family along with local people conducted search of the girl when they saw the girl coming from sunflower field with bleeding from her neck.

The family and local people offered water to the girl but water came out of slaughtered neck and the girl died on the spot.

Following the crime, Bahawalpur DPO Asad Sarfraz Khan assigned ASP Agha Fasihur Rehman and SHO Rao Shehzad Babar the urgent task of tracking down the perpetrators.

With the assistance of the Crime and Cyber Division (CCD), the investigation team apprehended the four suspects along with the murder weapon.

Reporter Raza Malik