LARKANA: A special investigation team has been formed to ascertain facts about the murder of a student of class-V, a senior police official said on Sunday.

The victim was strangulated to death after an alleged sexual assault in Moria Faqeer village on the left bank of Dadu Canal, 23 kilometres from here, on July 24 within the remit of the Naudero police station.

She had left home to buy milk from a nearby cattle pen and did not return. The relatives mounted a search for the girl and found her body stuffed in a gunny bag in a guava orchard.

DIG-Larkana Irfan Baloch told Dawn that ASP-City Muhammed Kaleem Malik would head the team with two inspectors — Ghulam Hussain Dahri and Yaseen Tagar — and the SHO of the Naudero police station, Ali Hassan, as its members.

The team would probe into the contents of the FIR and submit a report, he added.

He said that Larkana SSP Masood Bangsh had written to the director general of the health services for constituting a medical board to assist the police in assessing medical evidence in the case.

Responding to a question, the DIG said exhumation or to rely on the earlier evidence would depend on the the medical board.

He said officers Dahri and Tagar, who were presently posted in Hyderabad range, had been included in the investigation team on the request of the bereaved family.

The inspector general of police had transferred them to Larkana to undertake the assignment, police sources said.

The sources said that the medical board would also examine the case to ascertain the actual age of the student of class eighth who had been arrested in the case.

The DIG said that relevant section of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 had been incorporated in the FIR, as the incident had triggered a sense of terror and harassment in the vicinity.

Police on late Saturday night had arrested another suspect nominated in the FIR and would obtain his remand from the court concerned on Monday (today).

Amir Bhutto wants justice

Former Sindh president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Amir Bakhsh Bhutto visited village Moria Faqeer and offered condolence to the affected family.

Her father requested Mr Bhutto for his help as they were poor and had been going through mental agony over the cold-blooded murder of their daughter.

The family was satisfied with the DIG and SSP Larkana for conducting an impartial inquiry.

Mr Bhutto assured him of his full assistance and said that he had met the SSP-Larkana and asked him for fair investigation into the murder to provide justice to the victim’s family.

He criticised the Sindh government for failing to curb crimes and said that the worsening law and order situation would leave its prints on entire society.

Sardar Taj Muhammed Domki, the Sindh president of the Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto, also offered his condolences to the family.

Civil society protest

Meanwhile, condemning the barbaric act, activists of Awami Workers Party and Child Rights Committee stage a demonstration in front of the Larkana Press Club and demanded justice to the victim’s family.

Mujeeb Pirzado, Atteq Chandio, Samee Kakipoto led the protest. They said the murder had sent a wave of insecurity in the area and traumatised the entire society, which demanded severe and exemplary punishment for the culprits.

They said the murder of an innocent girl had occurred in Naudero’s vicinity, which is the political hub of the ruling PPP.

They alleged that instead of standing by the victims the local influential were trying to save the suspects. They also condemned trend where innocent children were being targeted.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2019