BUCHIANA:
An eight-year-old girl was tortured by her stepfather in Buchiana on Thursday, who allegedly beat her with iron rods, tied her hands and feet and locked her inside the house before fleeing the scene.
Police rescued the child after breaking the lock and arrested the suspect within a few hours of the incident.
According to police, the incident occurred in locality 656-GB near Buchiana.
The victim, identified as Iman Fatima, was allegedly subjected to severe physical abuse by her stepfather, Naveed Gujjar.
After assaulting the minor with iron rods, the suspect tied her hands and feet with ropes, threw her in the veranda and locked the house from outside before escaping.
Upon receiving information from local residents, police rushed to the spot, broke open the lock and recovered the girl, who was found bound with ropes.
Officials said the child had visible marks of torture on various parts of her body.
Speaking to the media, Iman Fatima said her stepfather often forced her to work in people’s homes.
She said that when she refused to go for work due to pain in her leg, he subjected her to severe violence.
Police Station Buchiana registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the victim’s aunt, Kulsoom Bibi. Police arrested the fugitive suspect, Naveed Gujjar, within hours of the incident.
Eight-year-old Iman Fatima, a resident of Chak No. 656-GB near Buchiana, lost her biological father three years ago. After his death, her mother, Tanzeela, remarried a man named Naveed Gujjar. Instead of sending the child to school, the stepfather allegedly forced young Iman Fatima to work in people’s houses and made her perform domestic labour.
On the previous day, the child was suffering from severe pain in her leg and was unable to go to work. Enraged by this, the stepfather reportedly crossed all limits of brutality and subjected the innocent girl to severe torture with iron rods.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of Buchiana said that clear marks of torture on the child’s body are evidence of the suspect’s brutality, adding that he will be brought to justice and given strict punishment according to the law. Residents of the area and members of civil society have praised Buchiana police for their sense of duty and prompt action in ensuring justice for the child.
