Taxila - The city of Taxila witnessed an increase in rape and abduction cases during the year 2017.

The crimes against women and children were especially on the rise. However, police made a major breakthrough in a gang rape case in which four employees of a private housing society gang raped a woman.

The rapists assaulted the woman, resident of the same society, in front of her 11 year old son. They also took away cash worth one hundred and twenty five thousand and other valuables.

While talking to newsmen on Friday, Sub divisional Police officer DSP Sajid Gondal claimed that a woman “SS”- was alone at her flat located in Faisal town in the limits of Wah Saddar Police station while her husband had gone to Karachi for work.

On December 12, four persons broke into the flat and raped the woman on gun point in front of her son. Mr Gondal informed that the terrified victim did not reveal her ordeal to the family and lodged a report of robbery with the police.

But when her husband returned the next day, a case of a gang rape and sexual torture was registered against the men under section 392, 376-B and 377 PPC. Police investigation team led by Sub Inspector Mohsin Hayat traced the accused through sketches made with the help of the victim’s statement and the four suspects identified as Ismail Khan, Noor Khan, Noman Zulfiqar and Zia Ul Haq were taken into custody.

Police sources said that the follow up of First Investigation reports for most abduction cases revealed that most of the married or unmarried women fled with their premolars on their own will.

It was observed from the challans submitted by the Police that the family members were unaware of their relationships and later the abducted women appeared before court and testified that they had left home at their free will.

Many cases reported to police were not registered due to reasons such as political pressure, or an influential accused party.

A case of child abuse in the limits of city Police chowki limits in Taxila Police station jurisdiction was not registered because the accused was prayer leader backed by an influential religious group while victim’s father was a daily wager.