Teenager arrested for raping, murdering six-year-old cousin in Lodhran

LODHRAN: Police said on Sunday they have arrested the suspected rapist and murderer of six-year-old girl in Dunyapur, Lodhran district.

The minor girl, who had gone missing last Sunday, was found dead in a pond near graveyard in Dunyapur on Friday.

Police said the child, a resident of Ward 2 in Dunyapur, went missing from her house on Feb 18.

The body of the child was taken to the Lodhran DHQ Hospital for medical examination, which police said, confirmed that she was sexually abused before her captor murdered her.

DPO Lodhran Ameer Taimour announced today the arrest of the suspect behind the grisly crime at a press conference.

He said suspect Ali Haider, the victim girl’s paternal cousin, has confessed to having raping and murdering the child. He added DNA samples of the suspect would be sent to a forensic lab for matching.

A large number of the cases of child sexual abuse have come to the fore after the rape and murder of Kasur’s Zainab.

On Feb 17 , an anti-terrorism court of Lahore awarded four death penalties to the prime suspect, Imran Ali, for raping and murdering the minor in Kasur.

He was also sentenced to life imprisonment and a separate 7-year jail term. The court also asked him to pay a collective fine of Rs 3.1 million.

The court conducted the swiftest trial in Pakistan’s judicial history at Kot Lakhpat Jail and concluded proceedings within four days.