Hyderabad man who raped, killed siblings to be presented in ATC today

HYDERABAD: A man who raped an eight-year-old girl before murdering her and her 10-year-old brother was set to presented in an anti-terrorism court later today (Monday).

Usman Bengali, the man who killed the minor siblings, was handed over to the police for a one-day transitional remand after he was presented to the special magistrate's court.

Separately, social group Sindh Awami Forum staged a protest against the horrific case of rape and murder of the siblings, residents of G.O.R. Colony, outside the Hyderabad Press Club.

Holding banners and chanting slogans, the protesters alleged that it was not only the arrested sexual predators but officers of the institution involved in delaying prompt action that should be held responsible.

Police officials and personnel involved in delaying action, as well as staff that failed to provide timely medical treatment, should also be punished, the protesters demanded, adding that Usman Bengali, the prime suspect, be hanged to death publicly.

Two days ago, two men, including Bengali, were arrested for raping and murdering eight-year-old girl Rukhsana whose minor brother, 10-year-old Abdul Qadir, was found brutally stabbed in Kohsar after the two siblings went missing a few days ago.

The boy, however, had recorded a statement from his deathbed, wherein he said he and his sister had gone with a man named Usman.

In a press conference on Friday, Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali — the additional inspector-general (AIG) of police for Hyderabad — had asked the deceased siblings' parents for another day to resolve the horrifying case of the children's rape and murder.

It is noteworthy that the deceased siblings' family has alleged the police did not take timely action.

Police had said they were investigating the case with help of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, in which both children could be seen walking away with one of the two suspects in custody, identified as Usman, the official had added.

A clause of terrorism was added to the first information report (FIR) registered over the case, the AIG had said, adding that they would try to have the case progress on a daily basis in the court once their investigation and questioning were completed.

CCTV footage showed Usman stepping out of an under-construction house after the murder of eight-year-old Rukhsana. Her body was recovered from the under-construction house in Bismillah City in Hyderabad's Latifabad locality on July 10.

A post-mortem was carried out on the body and doctors confirmed that the rape did take place. However, the report was not released.

Abdul Qadir, 10, and his sister, Rukhsana, had gone to buy grocery items from a nearby market on July 8 but never came returned. The same night, however, Qadir was found brutally stabbed and injured and shifted to a hospital, where, a day later, he succumbed to his wounds.