Woman lawyer assaulted by neighbours; four booked

The Islamabad police have booked four persons for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman lawyer and assaulting her and her father leaving them injured. However, no arrest has been made till now while efforts are on to arrest the accused, said the police.

Those booked were identified as Balraj Singh, Gurjit Singh and Kewal Singh, all residents of Indira Colony, Guru Nanak Pura locality, Sarabjit Singh of Japani Mill at Chheharta.

The 27-year-old woman lawyer in her statement to the police alleged that on October 1, she saw her neighbour Balraj Singh uprooting some plants outside her house. When she objected, Balraj allegedly started abusing her and making derogatory remarks about her character. Soon after, other accused armed with iron rods and wooden sticks joined in, she alleged.

According to the complainant, Gurjit Singh allegedly hit her left arm with the rod, while Sarabjit Singh attacked her with a wooden stick, injuring her head. She claimed that the accused then forcibly entered her house, assaulted her parents and tore her clothes in an attempt to outrage her modesty. The victim further alleged that the attackers used casteist slurs and threatened her with dire consequences.

Her father was also injured after being hit with an iron rod and a stick when he tried to intervene. The family was rescued after some persons from the neighbourhood gathered outside the house on hearing the commotion, following which the accused fled the spot.

She alleged that the dispute arose over Rs 50,000 she had earlier given to Gurjit Singh as financial help during the Covid-19 pandemic, which he refused to return. She sought strict legal action against all four accused.

The police have booked the suspects for assault, criminal trespass, use of caste-based remarks and attempt to outrage her modesty.