3 minor boys raped and murdered in Pakistan, protests erupt

Three minor boys were allegedly kidnapped, raped and brutally murdered by unidentified persons in Pakistan's Punjab province, sparking protests in the area.

Police recovered the bodies of the boys on Tuesday in Kasur district, some 50 kms from Lahore. The incident enraged the residents, who blocked roads in Chunian and burned tyres.

They also surrounded the Chunian police station and pelted stones. Some of the protesters also tried to burn the police station to vent their anger. The protesters dispersed when a senior police officer told them that some 12 suspects have been taken into custody and police will soon arrest the main culprits.

The minors went missing last month. Local people claim a racket is behind the killing of minor boys after rape.

Inspector General Punjab Police Arif Nawaz Khan told reporters that at least 12 suspects have been taken into custody and their DNA samples sent to a forensic laboratory in Lahore for examination.

He said a six-member team comprising senior police officers has been constituted to probe the matter. He said the sexual assault will be confirmed after a medical report.

"The possibility of murder after rape cannot be ruled out," he said.

In the last few years, Kasur has been rocked by multiple incidents of abuse, rape and the murder of children.

In January 2018, a six-year-old girl was found dead in a trash heap near Shahbaz Khan Road, five days after she went missing. Her death had sparked nationwide protests and outrage.

In 2015, a child pornography ring was busted in Kasur's Hussain Khanwala village.