78 officials suspended after alleged rape of disabled girl at Lahore police station

LAHORE: Lahore police have suspended the entire staff of a police station after the alleged rape of a mentally disabled young girl.

Sources said that an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) took the girl to the Ghaziabad Police Station under the pretext of an investigation, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

Lahore police said that all 78 personnel posted at the station, including the station house officer (SHO), two sub-inspectors and eight assistant sub-inspectors, had been suspended pending an investigation.

A criminal case has been registered at the Ghaziabad police station under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relates to rape, and Section 155-C of the Police Order 2002, which covers misconduct by police officials.

According to the first information report (FIR), the victim’s father said his daughter, who is around 20 years old and has a mental disability, left home on Sunday afternoon but did not return, prompting the family to search for her.

He said that a passer-by informed the family that a police officer in civvies had taken the girl to the police station. The family later went to the police station at about 9 pm, but was informed that she had already returned home.

The father told police that when he reached home, he found his daughter crying.

She told him that a police officer took her on a motorcycle before sexually assaulting her.

Police said that further investigation was under way to establish the circumstances of the incident and determine the responsibility of those involved.

Meanwhile, DIG Operations Faisal Kamran visited the Ghaziabad Police Station and conducted a detailed review of the station’s records, front desk, lockup, and cleanliness arrangements.

He checked the attendance of officers and personnel on duty and directed them to perform their duties with utmost diligence. He issued clear instructions to the officers: “The prompt and merit-based resolution of citizens’ issues is our top priority. Treat every complainant who comes to the station with courtesy and further strengthen the patrolling system for the elimination of crime.”