The husband of a 19-year-old from Lyari, who died after spending 20 days in a coma, has confessed to sexually assaulting her.

 

 

The suspect, identified as Ashok, recorded his statement before a judicial magistrate for District South under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court has since sent him to jail on judicial remand.

 

 

Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed that the medical examination findings were consistent with sexual violence.

 

 

Earlier this month, the girl was brought to Civil Hospital Karachi in critical condition after allegedly being sexually assaulted by her husband, who was later arrested by the police.

 

 

Citing Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, a media report claimed that the victim was in a coma while her physical examination findings were consistent with sexual violence, adding, “The rape victim passed away at the trauma centre of the Civil Hospital Karachi at 10:45am Wednesday.”

 

 

The report quoted Baghdadi police Station House Officer (SHO) Majid Alvi as claiming that two days after the girl got married, the husband subjected her to sodomy and assaulted her with a metal pipe, leading to internal injuries.

 

 

The victim’s brother registered a First Information Report (FIR) at the Baghdadi Police Station on July 5 under Sections 324 (attempt to commit murder) and 376-B (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

 

 

“On the third day of her marriage, my sister was subjected to sexual violence allegedly by her husband. She remained admitted at a private hospital in the city and was later taken to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre of Civil Hospital Karachi in a critical condition the other day,” the FIR read.

 

 

The FIR further read that the complainant's sister married the suspect on June 15. Her health condition deteriorated on June 30, compelling the family to bring her back home. She informed the parents that on June 17, her husband subjected her to an unnatural sexual act.

 

 

The complainant said that the suspect sexually assaulted her with a foreign object, adding subsequently, the husband also subjected her to sexual violence, leading to bleeding.

 

 

As per the FIR, the suspect threatened his wife with “dire consequences” if she disclosed anything to anyone.

 

 

According to a statement issued by Aurat March on social media platforms on Wednesday, the victim’s name was Shanti, and she had been raped and mutilated by her husband Ashok Kumar.

 

 

The suspect’s family reportedly also tried to hide the rape and denied the victim medical care while also cutting her off from her parents.

 

 

They watched her bleed and scream and chose silence,” the statement said, adding that the in-laws asked Shanti’s family for forgiveness and erased all evidence of rape.

 

 

The statement also accused a private hospital and one Dr Rauf Shaikh of medical negligence, saying they “covered up rape and sent her home to die”.

 

 

Aurat March, along with Minority Rights Watch, has also announced taking to streets after Shanti’s family returns following her last rites.