Family arrested for setting maid ablaze

LAHORE: Millat Park police claim to have arrested a man and his four family members on Friday who allegedly set their 14-year-old maid on fire after subjecting her to severe torture three days ago. The house owner was formally arrested, while his wife, daughter and son-in-law were taken into custody for questioning. Jamshaid and his family were also booked in an attempted murder case lodged by girl Aqsa’s father, Abdur Razzaq, of Gulshan-i-Ravi. A police investigator told Dawn the girl had suffered 30pc burns and was still admitted to the burns unit of Mayo Hospital. He claimed the girl had received burns accidentally when she caught fire while preparing tea. But, the girl’s parents told police Aqsa was initially subjected to torture by the entire family, who also cut her hair, and later set her ablaze over domestic issues. Aqsa had started working at Jamshaid’s house four months ago. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of torture and burning of the maid and sought a report from the IGP. He directed that the accused involved in the tragic incident be apprehended immediately and the injured girl be provided best treatment. SUICIDE BID: A one-and-half-year-old girl drowned while her 20-year-old mother was rescued on Friday after the latter jumped into the BRB Canal in an attempt to commit suicide. Haer police registered a murder-cum-attempted suicide case against the woman. Police inquiries showed that Samina had contracted marriage with Shahzad of Karbath Soling village a couple of years ago and the couple had a daughter. After the death of her husband’s father a few months ago, Shahzad was unable to meet domestic expenses which led to frequent quarrels. On Friday, the couple again exchanged words and the woman took her daughter Muskan and reached the BRB Canal to commit suicide. Witnesses managed to recover the woman alive, but the infant girl could not survive. Cantonment SP Sarfraz Ahmad Khan Virk said the water was low in the canal and the woman was timely rescued by local people. He said the police took the woman into custody and began investigation.