Foreign woman allegedly raped in Lahore as police ‘identify’ two suspects, recover vehicle

LAHORE: Police claimed to have identified two of the three men allegedly involved in the sexual assault of a 20-year-old Azerbaijani woman in Lahore and recovered the vehicle allegedly used in the incident.

Officials and sources said on Sunday that the vehicle was recovered from the house of a relative of the main suspect and was shifted to Defence C police station.

The relative of the main suspect was also reportedly absent from the house.

Police said the woman’s initial medical examination had been conducted, while a detailed medical report was awaited.

Two of the three suspects have been identified, while the identity of the third suspect remains unknown, police said.

Special teams headed by SP Investigation Cantt Asim Iftikhar are conducting raids to arrest the suspects.

Police have also taken steps to place the suspects’ names on the stop list, according to officials.

The case was registered at Defence C Police Station after the Azerbaijani woman reported that two unidentified women had taken her to a café, where three men were present.

According to the police account, the group later took her to a flat, where she alleged that she was given an intoxicating substance and sexually assaulted by three men.

The woman told police that she was later left near the airport. She also alleged that the suspects took her mobile phones and other belongings before fleeing.

Lahore DIG Investigation Syed Zeeshan Raza had earlier said the suspects had been identified and special teams formed for their arrest. He said all available resources were being used to apprehend those involved.

The investigation is ongoing and police have yet to announce any arrests of the three alleged main suspects.

Officials said photographs showing the woman at the Punjab Assembly had also surfaced.

Sources said she had visited cafés in Johar Town and Defence and had social interactions with several people.

The woman also had a TikTok account where she regularly shared videos, according to the information available to investigators.