A murder case has been registered against unidentified killers following the death of a teenage girl at a tuition centre in Lahore's Ichhra area. The case was filed on the complaint of the victim's father, police confirmed on Friday.
Incident Details
The victim, identified as Naeema, arrived at the two-storey tuition centre with her two sisters at around 4:15pm on Thursday. The centre is run by two sisters in their home. During the class, Naeema went downstairs to use the ground-floor washroom. When she did not return after 15 minutes, her sister checked and found the washroom door locked from inside.
The door was forced open, and Naeema was found unconscious. She was rushed to Services Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead. Hospital staff noted a ligature mark around her neck, suggesting strangulation.
Investigation and Evidence
Investigators described the washroom as extremely small, measuring only 2x3 feet. A nylon rope, typically used for drying clothes, was found tied near the door lock. Preliminary examination suggests the rope may have been used in the incident.
Police reviewed CCTV footage from a shop opposite the tuition centre. The footage showed no unknown person entering or leaving the building during the relevant time. The only male present on the premises was the 60-year-old father of the teachers, Abdul Rauf. He was questioned but no evidence has linked him to the incident so far, according to police sources.
"We are investigating all angles. The CCTV footage shows no outsider, but we are not ruling out any possibility," a police official said on condition of anonymity.
Legal Proceedings
A murder case has been registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code against unidentified persons. Police are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the exact cause of death. Further investigations are ongoing.
