A five-year-old girl on Friday was married to a 25-year-old man as vani.
Muhammad Ali*, the father of the ‘bride,’ told newsmen that his son Sher Ali married Sana Bibi without approval from her family in February.
He said Sana’s parents were opposed to the marriage and called a punchayat that ordered marriage of his five-year-old daughter to Sana’s brother Babrak Ali,” he said.
He said he did not accept the decision of the punchayat. He said Sana’s family then forcibly took his daughter away.
“As many as 60 people were present when my daughter was declared vani and taken away,” he said. He said he tried to reason with them but they would not listen.
He said he then approached the police about the punchayat’s decision but they did not take any action.
Chiniot Saddar Station House Officer (SHO) Rae Arshad Kharral said since parents of both girls agreed on the marriage of the child in a punchayat, the police could not interfere.
He said Mallah had not filed a complaint. He said if he did, the police would investigate the case.
Elderly man shot dead by neighbour
An elderly man was killed and his granddaughter injured by their neighbour who broke into their house on Friday. Sadar Jaranwala police said Kamran Akhtar, a resident of Chak 101-GB, Ali Pur Bungalow, broke into his neighbour Shehzad’s house allegedly with the intent to rape his granddaughter. Shehzad’s father Meraj Din tried to overpower Akhtar but he shot him several times.
Meraj Din and his granddaughter were both injured. They were taken to tehsil headquarters hospital but doctors referred them to Allied Hospital due to seriousness of their injuries. Meraj Din passed away. Doctors at the hospital said the girl’s condition was critical. Police have arrested Akhtar and seized the gun.
Fire at a cotton factory
Fire erupted in a cotton factory owned by Ghulam Nabi on Jahangir Mor on Friday. Dijkot police said the fire had erupted due to an electric short circuit. Cotton waste kept at the factory was reduced to ashes. Police said fire-fighters arrived at the scene and put the fire out after hectic efforts. No one was reported injured in the incident.
*The names have been changed to protect identities
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2014.