Asma rape, murder case: Six more suspects held by Mardan police

MARDAN: As many as six more suspects were arrested in the Asma rape, murder case by Mardan police on Friday, authorities informed Geo News.

DPO Mardan said that DNA samples of the suspects will be taken, adding that the authorities have conducted geo-fencing of the area.

Moreover, the district government has called an All Parties Conference on the matter today. 

District Nazim Hikmayatullah Mayar informed that the conference will give its next course of action if rape and terror clauses are not added in the FIR.

Four-year-old Asma went missing on January 13 from the Gujjar Garhi area and was found dead the next day at 3pm.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector-General of Police Salahuddin Mehsud confirmed on Wednesday that the minor was strangled to death, but added that the post-mortem report points towards sexual assault.

“Looks like the culprit’s intention was to sexually assault [the minor],” he told media while detailing the incident.

Post-mortem points to rape before murder of minor in Mardan: IG KP

Aasma went missing on Jan 13 from the Gujjar Garhi area of Mardan and was found the next day after efforts by police and family, the IG said

The minor’s post-mortem also shows signs of torture, the IG said.

The body was reportedly found in sugarcane fields.

Police joined the search after being informed of the incident at 9pm on January 13, the IG said.

Mardan RPO and DPO subsequently visited Asma’s family on January 14 to record details about the incident, and an FIR was registered after Asma’s body was found.

The IG said that an investigation team, headed by DPO Mardan, was formed to probe the case, and help from the counter-terrorism department was also utilised.

IG Mehsud commenting on the progress in the case said that a daily report is being prepared in the case.

‘Police trying to conceal facts’

Mayar has alleged that the police are trying their best to conceal the post-mortem report.

Mayar said on Wednesday that according to the post-mortem report it is clear the girl was raped before being strangled to death.

The girl belonged to an unprivileged family and her father works as a labourer in a foreign country, he said, adding “we will ensure justice is dispensed.”

He stressed that the district government will extend all help to the victim's family. "The incident highlights the criminal negligence of the KP government," he said, adding "not a single official of the KP government went to condole the victim's parents and no one took notice of the incident."

"ANP [Awami National Party] will use its democratic right and stage a protest against the government," he added.

However, DPO Mardan Mian Saeed earlier in the day had negated the claims and said that the girl was strangled to death, and said the post-mortem report does not point towards rape.

There were torture marks on the body, he added.