Police arrest suspect within hours in 3-year-old girl’s rape-murder case in Islamabad

slamabad Police have arrested a suspect within hours in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a three-year-old girl

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have arrested a suspect within hours in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in the jurisdiction of Police Station Noon, with investigators using CCTV footage and other evidence to trace the suspect.

The incident took place on September 22 in the Jhangi Syedan area, where the child reportedly went missing while playing outside her home. According to police, the family and residents initially searched the surrounding area before approaching Noon Police Station after failing to locate her.

Police registered a case and launched an investigation, with multiple teams formed to trace the missing child and identify those responsible.

CCTV footage provides breakthrough

According to police officials, investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area, including cameras installed near Shams Town. The footage reportedly showed the child walking with a man at around 2:15pm on the day she disappeared.

Investigators subsequently identified the man as the child’s brother-in-law, identified as Kashif in police accounts.

Police said the suspect had also participated in the search for the missing child, while investigators later found inconsistencies in his statements and movements. He was taken into custody for questioning as the investigation progressed.

According to the available police account, the suspect subsequently confessed during initial interrogation. Police then recovered the child’s body from an area near a drain and bushes in the vicinity of Jhangi Syedan.

The body was shifted to PIMS Hospital for medico-legal examination and post-mortem procedures. Forensic investigation underway

Police have collected DNA and other scientific evidence from the suspect and the deceased and sent the samples to a forensic laboratory for examination.

Initial medical findings reported by police indicated sexual assault, while investigators said the child had died from strangulation. The final forensic findings are expected to form part of the evidence submitted during the legal proceedings.

The suspect was produced before a magistrate, who granted police physical remand to allow investigators to continue questioning him and complete the investigation.

Police response

The case has drawn attention because of the speed with which investigators identified and detained the suspect following the child’s disappearance.

Police officials said CCTV surveillance, local information and investigation teams played a role in establishing the suspect’s movements and locating the child.

The investigation is continuing, with police examining forensic evidence, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and other aspects of the case.

The arrest represents an important development in the investigation, but the allegations against the suspect will ultimately be determined through the judicial process.

The tragic death of the child has also renewed concerns over the protection of minors and the need for rapid investigation in cases involving missing children and alleged sexual violence.

Islamabad Police have maintained that further evidence is being collected to establish the complete circumstances of the incident and strengthen the case before the court.

The suspect remains in custody as investigators proceed with the case, while forensic reports and other evidence are expected to help determine the next stage of the legal proceedings.