Police launch high-level probe into rape, murder of 3-year

Wire excerpt

KARACHI: A high-level team formed by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho has launched an investigation into the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Karachi’s Quaidabad, collecting DNA samples from over a dozen suspects from the same neighbourhood. The body of Kulsoom Mohammed Qasim, who had left her home to play outside in Muslimabad Colony on Tuesday afternoon, was found stuffed in a gunny bag at a main gate of the street leading to her home near Mustafa Masjid in Muslimabad later that evening. Doctors confirmed that she was subjected to “violent rape” before being murdered. Malir SSP (Investigation) Majida Perveen Halepota told Dawn on Thursday that the police had taken DNA samples from some suspects and were awaiting lab reports for possible matches. Another member of the investigation team told Dawn that a team of doctors, led by police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, had taken DNA samples of 12 suspects from the same neighbourhood, some of whom were relatives of the victim. The officer said the samples had been sent to a lab at the University of Karachi (KU) and that the results were expected soon. The officer said that, based on reports provided by th…