Rape 'victims quit village after threats

OUR STAFF REPORTER DASKA - The Satrah polices failure in arresting the alleged rapists and life threats by the accused have forced the two gang rape victims to leave their native village and to shift to an undisclosed place in Gujranwala for saving their lives. Four local drunkard vagabonds - Azam Ghuman, Tassawar Hussain, Tanveer and Khushnud - had jointly raped two married women 'A and 'R at gunpoint while storming at their home when they were alone at their homes in village Bhikhi Sindhuaan, Satrah about three months ago. Both the women were real sisters and also Hafiz-e-Quran. Their husbands Ali Asghar and Ali Akbar do job as Quli at Lahore Railway Station. Ali Asghar and Ali Akbar told the newsmen at Daska that three months have passed but the Satrah police still remained unable to arrest the rapists, who are stated to be politically influential. They said that the accused and their relatives were continuously threatening the gang rape victims and their family with dire consequences, as they were still at large. A few days ago, the accused and their companions also conducted indiscriminate firing at the house of the victims to create harassment, forcing them to leave the village for ever. After being disappointed by police, alleging that the police was adopting the delaying tactics in their arrest. Now we have shifted our beloved wives and family to an undisclosed place in Gujranwala to save their lives from the accused, they added. The accused have forced us to exile from the village. The grieved families have urged Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Inspector General of Police Punjab, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Gujranwala Region Ahmed Mubarak Ahmed and Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Bilal Sadiq Kamiyana to ensure the early arrest of the influential accused and provide them the justice. Otherwise, the victims will commit self immolation in front of the CM House in Lahore during the next few days. When contacted, Inspector Khalid Mehmood (SHO Satrah police station) said that police have arrested accused Azam Ghuman and was conducting raids at various places to ensure the early arrest of the other accused. He said that accused Tassawar Hussain has escaped abroad, as the police have also registered separate cases against the families of fugitive accused for sheltering them. SHO added that the exiled victims and their families will be brought back to their home soon. Couple commit suicide: A landlord shot himself dead soon after the suicide by his first wife over a domestic dispute in village Kotli Said Mir in Sialkot tehsil here on Sunday. Sanaullah had conducted his second marriage with one Shumaila four months ago. However, his first wife Humaira started quarrelling with him. Yesterday, they quarrelled again and Humaira committed suicide after reportedly strangling herself. Afterwards, Sanaullah also committed suicide by shooting himself in his head.

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