Bahawalpur: Four gang rape-murder accused killed in police encounter

BAHAWALPUR: Four suspects, including two maternal uncles accused of gang-raping and murdering their 11-year-old niece, were killed in an alleged police encounter in Bahawalpur, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The suspects, all close relatives of the victim, were shot dead by their own accomplices during a shootout with police.

According to Thana Saddar police, the suspects were being escorted to the crime scene to recover the murder weapon when their accomplices opened fire on the police, attempting to free them from custody.

Police retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire, during which all four suspects were hit by bullets fired by their accomplices. The attackers managed to escape under the cover of darkness, police said.

The incident involved the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in the jurisdiction of Thana Saddar, Bahawalpur.

Police had identified and arrested four suspects after DNA tests. Police claimed that the suspects had confessed to killing the girl after raping her.

In a statement, Punjab police emphasized their zero-tolerance policy toward crimes against women and children, under the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision “Never Again” and directed by Punjab IG Dr. Usman Anwar.

Read More: Four ‘rapists’ killed in alleged Faisalabad police encounter

Earlier, four arrested suspects in a gang-rape case were killed in police encounter in the area of ​​Nishatabad police station in Faisalabad.

According to police, the killed accused Zahid, Naveed, Islam and Qasim were in police custody on remand in the robbery-rape case.

The police were taking the four robbers to Achkira village for recovery and meanwhile, accomplices of dacoits attacked the police party near Ghulam Muhammadabad number two.

Police said in the shootout, the outlaws killed four of their accomplices and fled the scene.

The dead robbers had raped the woman during the robbery one and a half months ago.