Ehsaas programme officer arrested for allegedly raping minor girl

LAYYAH: An Ehsaas programme officer has been arrested for allegedly raping a teenage girl, police confirmed on Tuesday, adding that while the heinous crime occurred on October 27, the case was filed three days ago.

According to police, the suspect went to the ninth-grader's house in Layyah's Chaubara tehsil to rape her after obtaining her personal data by promising to register her for the Ehsaas programme.

A medico-legal report confirmed that the 15-year-old girl had been subjected to sexual assault. Police consequently registered a first information report (FIR) and arrested the suspect earlier today.

The young survivor alleged that the suspect, who is a clerk at the Ehsaas programme office, took her information to figure out where she lived and then abused her at her home.

She explained that she had gone to the Ehsaas Centre with her mother to collect relief money. After finding out all the details, she went on, "the clerk kept harassing me over the phone and — three days ago — he came to my home, raped me, and fled".

The ninth-grader has appealed for justice and demanded that the arrested suspect be punished.

In the meantime, the suspect has been detained in a prison in Chak No. 377 TDA. His DNA samples have been obtained and he is expected to be produced in court for remand tomorrow.