Another suspect of Hafizabad gang rape case killed in police encounter

Another suspect involved in the Hafizabad gang rape was killed during a police encounter on Monday, he was also shot by his companions, according to the law enforcement.

The police claimed that while patrolling at Punj Pulla, the suspect's companions opened fire on a police van, resulting in the suspect being inadvertently shot by his accomplices.

Previously, two other suspects had met a similar fate.

Local police told the media that a special team from the Crime Control Department (CCD) in Hafizabad had conducted a raid near Mangat Uncha last week to apprehend the suspects involved in this heinous crime. 

Read: Prime suspect of Hafizabad gang-rape case killed in alleged police encounter

Upon the police's arrival, both sides exchanged heavy gunfire, which critically injured Khawar, the main suspect, as his accomplices shot him. He later succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital, while the remaining suspects managed to flee the scene.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the incident occurred around 7 pm on April 25. The complainant and his wife had stopped their motorcycle, and when she dismounted, a man approached them, verbally abused them, and slapped them.

A group of armed men then arrived and forcibly took the couple to an isolated area near a graveyard, where they were subjected to physical violence, rape, and robbery. 

Read: School principal rapes 15-year-old boy in Punjab's Hafizabad

"Both of us were tied up, and I was made to lie on the ground while my wife was gang-raped in front of me. I kept pleading with the attackers," the complainant recounted.

The assailants stole two mobile phones, gold jewellery, and Rs 2,500 in cash. They also forced the couple to engage in intercourse with each other at gunpoint and recorded the act as a means of blackmail.

"We delayed reporting the incident because the assailants threatened us if we pursued legal action or sought medical attention,” the victim said, adding that the perpetrators also uploaded the video of the incident on the internet.