Suspects involved in extracting girls’ spinal fluid to undergo polygraph test

LAHORE: Two prime suspects involved in extracting and selling spinal fluid of girls in Hafizabad have been shifted to Lahore, where they will undergo a polygraph test, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Nadeem and Sajid, members of a gang involved in extracting spinal fluid, have been shifted to Lahore Forensic Laboratory, where they will undergo a polygraph test, police officials informed media.

The gang has been involved in extracting the fluid from the spine of girls after luring them to a residential house in Hafizabad under pretext of conducting a medical test.

In a raid on Monday, police arrested three members of the gang after being tipped off by relatives of a victim, who was told the procedure was needed for a programme, which offers free wedding dowries.

Officials suspect the fluid was being sold in the black market to be used in bone marrow transplants.

“They confessed to extracting the spinal cord fluid from at least 10 women in the area and selling it to a cleaner at a local government hospital, who has also been detained,” Abdul Majeed, an investigator with the Hafizabad police department, told media.

The girls, mainly belonging to poor families, were tricked into going for medical test against an offer of attractive packages for dowry.

Muhammad Aslam, the prime suspect, and his wife Amna confessed to their crimes and informed the police that their group comprises of four people.

The couple apprised the investigators that they have been into this activity for quite long time and around 90 girls had fallen prey to their fraudulent scheme.

Later, police arrested one of their accomplices Nadeem who is said to be associated with District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) in Hafizabad.

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also taken notice of the matter and vowed the provision of best medical treatment to the victims.

The Punjab CM had previously ordered a thorough investigation into the matter and sought a report from the district police officer of Hafizabad.