Police arrests man who raped, murdered 9-year-old girl

F.P. Report

HANGU: In a major development, police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a key suspect in the case of the rape and murder of nine-year-old Madiha in Hangu district.

The suspect, identified as Ilyas, sexually assaulted and murdered the minor after kidnapping her, the police said.

Later, they added, he dumped her body in a forest within the limits of the Hangu district.

The minor was reportedly found raped and murdered in Saro Khel village, Hangu district on Sunday.

Initial investigation said she was brutally murdered after being subjected to sexual assault.

The horrifying incident of the brutal rape and murder of the minor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district sparked uproar and protest on social media with people using #JusticeForMadiha to demand justice for the minor victim.

Earlier, the local police had rounded up 16 men on suspicion of their involvement in the case. A first information report (FIR) of the horrific incident was registered with the Doaba police station.

The police said they will incorporate relevant provisions of sexual assault upon receipt of the minor victim’s post-mortem report.