Magistrate launches inquiry into deaths of two girls in Lahore police custody

A judicial magistrate has initiated an inquiry into the deaths of two underage girls who died while in police custody in Lahore on August 4.

LAHORE: A judicial magistrate has initiated an inquiry into the deaths of two underage girls who died while in police custody in Lahore on August 4.

The inquiry was launched after the families of the deceased girls demanded an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

The girls were identified as Amina and Anmol. They had reportedly remained in police custody for more than two hours before emergency services were called to the Township police station.

The circumstances leading to their deaths have not yet been fully established.

Proceedings have been initiated under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The provision empowers a magistrate to examine deaths that occur in police custody or under other suspicious circumstances.

The magistrate can record statements from relevant individuals during the inquiry. Witnesses may also be examined under oath.

The law further allows the magistrate to order the exhumation of a body if a postmortem examination is considered necessary to determine the cause of death.

The judicial proceedings are expected to focus on what happened while the two girls were being held at the police station.

Authorities are likely to examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest, the period they spent in custody and the events that took place before Rescue 1122 was contacted.

The timing of the emergency call has also become an important part of the inquiry.

The families have sought clarity over the events inside the police station and called for the matter to be investigated independently.

The deaths have raised concerns about the treatment of minors in police custody and the responsibility of officials overseeing detainees.

The magistrate’s inquiry is expected to establish the sequence of events and determine whether any negligence or wrongdoing contributed to the deaths.

Further action will depend on the findings of the judicial inquiry and other available evidence.