A three-year-old girl was discovered dead, sexually assaulted, and stuffed in a sack near her residence in the Quaidabad area of Malir district, Karachi, on Wednesday. The incident has sparked outrage and prompted a high-level police investigation.
Disappearance and Discovery
The victim, identified as K*, a resident of Muslimabad Colony, went missing around 12pm on Tuesday while playing outside her home. Her father told The Express Tribune that the family immediately began a frantic search of the neighbourhood. The search ended tragically in the evening when they found her body stuffed in a sack at a street corner close to their house. Police shifted the body to a nearby hospital for medico-legal formalities.
Forensic Findings Confirm Assault
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya confirmed that sexual assault had occurred. She stated that the exact cause of death would be determined after receiving the chemical examination report. During the post-mortem, multiple human hair samples and several DNA traces were recovered from the child's clothing, which have been preserved for forensic analysis. Police sources also revealed that signs of resistance were found on various parts of the child's body, raising suspicions that more than one person may have been involved in the crime.
Government and Police Response
Provincial Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took notice of the brutal crime and directed police to employ modern scientific methods to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice expeditiously. In response, IG Sindh Ghulam Nabi Memon constituted a high-level investigation committee, spearheaded by the DIG East. The committee includes the SSPs of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), District Malir, and Special Branch, alongside other investigation SPs and DSPs. According to official sources, the team has been tasked with submitting daily progress reports to the provincial police chief.
Investigation Underway
Investigators are currently recording statements from local residents, vendors, and shopkeepers to piece together the toddler's final moments. Police sources suggest that the assault and murder likely occurred in close proximity to the victim's home. Consequently, police personnel have conducted searches of specific houses in the street and have collected the credentials of residents for further scrutiny. A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the sack and the location of the body indicate that the suspect is likely someone familiar with the area. "We are scrutinising every individual present in the vicinity at the time of the incident," the official added. Authorities confirmed that several suspects have been taken into custody, and blood samples along with other specimens are being collected to help establish the facts surrounding the incident.
* victim's identity withheld for ethical reasons
