Pakistan cops arrested after deathbed rape accusation
MULTAN, Pakistan - Pakistani police arrested three police officers Tuesday after a woman set herself on fire and accused them on her deathbed of gang raping her, police said.
The 20-year-old woman, who died of her burns on Tuesday, gave a statement accusing the officers of abducting and raping her six days ago near the central city of Multan, said Awais Malik, a senior police officer.
Malik said the woman, who had been married six months earlier, set herself on fire Monday in public near a police station after reportedly becoming frustrated with her failure to lodge a formal complaint against the officers.
The officers were arrested Tuesday after the woman's death began receiving local news attention. Malik said two accomplices of the arrested police officers were at large and police were searching for them.
Also Tuesday in Multan, a 42-year-old man died after setting himself on fire to protest the demolition of his home.
Shahbaz Ahmed set himself on fire Monday in front of the Multan Press Club to protest the demolition six months ago by the area land administrator, said Multan police officer Azher Akram.
Akram said an investigation had been launched into the matter.