Deaf and Mute Woman in Pak Raped by Soldier in Lahore-Bound Train

The woman told her sister-in-law about rape through sign language who, in turn, alerted the Railways police.

An anti-rape protest. Photo used for representational purpose. (Photo: The Quint)

A 30-year-old deaf and mute woman was allegedly raped by a Pakistani soldier in a Lahore-bound train.

The suspect, a sepoy in Pakistan’s Punjab Regiment and posted in Chaman, Balochistan, has been arrested by the Railways police there. A rape case has been registered against him on the complaint of the woman's brother-in-law.

According to the FIR, the woman, a mother of three, was travelling with her sister and brother-in-law to Lahore from Quetta by Akbar Bugti Express on Saturday night. When she was using the train’s washroom, a man entered the loo and raped her, The Dawn newspaper reported.

The woman told her sister-in-law about rape through sign language who alerted the Railways police.

My sister-in-law narrated the incident by using sign language and also pointed to the man who was sleeping in another bogie near the washroom.

The victim’s sister-in-law

The police searched a couple of bogies and arrested the suspect. Later he was identified as a soldier of the Pakistani Army.

The woman’s brother-in-law also complained that police had his sister-in-law medically examined thrice.

Meanwhile, the army has contacted the police and sought custody of the suspect for trial under military laws.