Mum gang-raped on train by ticket inspector and three others after being lured into first-class
A MUM was allegedly gang-raped on a train by a ticket inspector and three other men after being lured into the first-class carriage.
The young mum-of-two moved from her economy class seat after she was offered an air-conditioned compartment during the 500-mile journey between Multan and Karachi.
Once inside, the ticket inspector and three other men allegedly took turns to attack her before threatening her if she tried to escape.
The woman managed to flee the train and reported the incident to the cops.
The Railways Police chief Faisal Shahkar said the shocking assault happened on the Bahauddin Zakaria Express train last week.
The suspects fled to "far-flung areas of Punjab" in the hours after the attack in the hopes of escaping arrest, Pakistani newspaper reports.
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But cops caught up with them and arrested two men on Monday with a third detained the following day, officials said.
The authorities said a medical examination of the mum confirmed she had been gang-raped.
The horror attack has sparked outrage, sparking calls for the men to be hanged.
One man told state broadcaster Geo: "I wish to see those behind this cruel act hanged by their throats."
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An editorial in Dawn branded the crime "ghastly" and demanded answers over the lack of security on the train.
It said: "Another horrific incident of sexual violence has come to light, underscoring how a cavalier approach to security arrangements can embolden criminally inclined men to indulge their worst instincts.
“[Women’s] safety is the barometer of a nation’s values."
Pakistan is under pressure to crack down on sexual violence as more crimes are reported.
According to official estimates, the number of women raped in Pakistan in the last four years stands at around 14,000 - which amounts to almost 11 per day.
In 2019, a woman who was allegedly gang raped accused a police officer of also raping her when she went to report the crime.
The alleged victim claimed the officer took her to a house in Ahmedpur to "interview" her and then attacked her.
The woman alleged the assistant sub-inspector filmed the sex attack and made threats so she wouldn't tell anyone.
And in March 2018, a Pakistani family allegedly let off their daughter's rapist after a sick trade let the victim's brother do the same to her attacker's sister.
It comes after a woman in nearby India was arrested on suspicion of employing five men to gang rape a woman she suspected her husband of having an affair with.
The heinous crime happened in in Kondapur, where a wife allegedly tricked her "rival" before filming the act to blackmail the victim.
Police said six people, including the wife and the five men she employed, have been arrested.
India has seen a number of high profile rape cases in recent years, leading to widespread protests.
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Rage at such brutal attacks, and the government's failure to address the culture that allows them, have rocked India since the gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh on a Delhi bus in 2012.
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Despite global outcry, the number of rapes in India actually soared in the years afterwards.
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.