Police arrest 3 suspects for allegedly burying boy alive after reporting attempted rape

A 14-year-old boy was allegedly buried alive in a village on the outskirts of Mari Lak in Punjab’s Sargodha district after reporting an old rape attempt, police said on Saturday, adding that a case had been registered and three suspects arrested.

The injured boy was rescued and taken to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors said his condition was out of danger.

According to the police, the 14-year-old girl was the victim of an attempted rape around twenty days ago. However, the family did not contact the police at that time, which is why no action was taken. Police initially arrested two suspects, while the main suspect was later taken into custody.

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Sargodha District Police Officer Muhammad Suhaib Ashraf said the incident was being investigated from all angles and the suspects would be dealt with according to the law. He said it was too early to conclude on the allegations, adding that a final opinion would be made after the forensic reports.

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The boy said The Express PK Press Club that after he complained about the incident, the suspects became angry and decided to punish him.

“He (the main suspect) decided to teach me a lesson. On 9 Muharram, I was arrested outside my house in the afternoon and severely beaten by him along with two accomplices,” the boy said.

“Later, he took me to a deserted area where bushes were growing and a hole had already been dug by a wild animal. I was thrown in and covered with earth,” he added.

A first information report (FIR) was registered on Friday on the complaint of the boy’s mother at Jhal Chakian police station under sections 34 (common intention), 324 (attempt to murder) and 376 (3) (rape of minor) and identified three suspects.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is available from The Express PK Press Clubshe said that on June 25 around 4:30 p.m., her 14-year-old son left home to attend a gathering but did not return until late at night, prompting the family to inform the police via helpline 15.

She added that the next day, she and her husband were still looking for the boy when they suddenly heard a child crying. When they arrived, they found the child buried in the ground, with only his leg visible. The police and 1122 rescue teams were called again, after which the 1122 rescue officers picked up the child and took him to DHQ Hospital.

The FIR adds that when the child regained consciousness, he said that around 20 days earlier, he had told the prime suspect’s elder brother that his brother had molested him.

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He added that on June 25, when he was on his way to a gathering around 5 p.m. and reached Dera Wadhra, the main suspect intercepted him and questioned him about disclosing the incident to his elder brother.

The FIR stated that the other two suspects also arrived at the spot, after which all three abused and assaulted him and took him to nearby fields, where they subjected him to violence and buried him in the ground.

Describing this incident as a serious injustice, the complainant demanded legal action against the suspects, in order to obtain justice and punishment.