Islamabad [Pakistan], August 5 : A 35-year-old unemployed man, Arsalan, has been arrested by police in the Mirpur district of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) for allegedly attempting to rape his seven-year-old stepdaughter, Dawn reported.
According to Rashid Habib Masoodi, the Station House Officer (SHO) in Dadyal, the incident occurred on July 15 around midday in Sihalia village.
The suspect allegedly tried to assault the minor girl while her mother was away from their home. The police took action after the incident was reported, leading to Arsalan's arrest, as per Dawn.
Upon returning home, the girl's mother learned of the incident from her daughter. However, the mother did not report the complaint to the police immediately due to threats from the suspect, who had warned her of severe consequences, including divorce, SHO Masoodi said.
He added that the situation escalated when the suspect continued violent and abusive behaviour and last Wednesday, the mother confronted him, disclosing her intention to report his actions to the authorities.
Fearing arrest, the suspect went into hiding and could not be traced, despite multiple raids at various locations.
However, acting on a tip-off on Sunday, the police finally successfully apprehended him in a suburban area of Dadyal, the SHO said.
The police officer said the suspect was a criminal-minded person and had been charged under section 377-A (iii) of the Azad Penal Code (APC), which stipulated: "Whoever attempts to commit an offence under sub-section (1) shall be punished with imprisonment, which may extend to ten years but shall not be less than five years or fine which may extend to two million rupees but shall not be less than one million or with both."
Further investigation into the case has uncovered a disturbing pattern of behaviour by the suspect, Arsalan. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the suspect has a history of violent behaviour, regularly assaulting his wife and sexually abusing her daughters.
The complainant alleged that Arsalan had previously attempted to sexually assault her elder daughter, aged nine.
SHO Masoodi also revealed that the suspect was charged in October last year under the same section of the APC for attempting a sexual assault on his elder stepdaughter, revealing a repeated pattern of abuse.
However, the SHO said he was granted bail after his wife settled with him during court proceedings, despite no legal provision for reconciliation in such cases.
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