Two serving police constables in Pakistan's Swat Valley have been arrested after allegedly gang-raping a woman who had travelled there with her husband. The suspects are accused of taking the couple to a hotel, locking the husband in a separate room and sexually assaulting the woman.
Incident on return from Bahrain area
The woman, who lives in Peshawar, had been visiting the tourist destination with her husband. According to The Express Tribune, the couple were returning from the scenic Bahrain area when two officers stopped their vehicle at Angro Dherai.
The men allegedly approached them under the pretext of carrying out an investigation before taking them to a hotel in the Faza Gat area. The husband was reportedly locked in a separate room while the two officers allegedly raped the woman one after the other.
Complaint and investigation
The suspects are also accused of threatening to kill the woman if she reported what had happened. The victim subsequently lodged a complaint at Rahimabad police station, prompting Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan to order an immediate investigation.
Police used CCTV footage to trace and identify two suspects, who were arrested. Both men were serving police constables, although Mr Khan said they were allegedly off duty when the incident took place.
Legal proceedings underway
Speaking to Dawn.com, he confirmed that cases had been registered against both men and a departmental inquiry had been launched. He said: "We have arrested both suspects, registered an FIR against them and initiated a departmental inquiry. If the allegations are proved, strict legal and departmental action will be taken against them."
The suspects remain under investigation and the allegations have not been established in court.
