Family sets on fire little girl suspected of possessing demon

A four-year-old girl suffered critical burn injuries after she was allegedly set on fire by her family members over suspicions of black magic and possession by jinn in Gujranwala.

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, police arrested four suspects, including the child's mother and siblings, and registered a case at the Aroop Police Station on Friday.

According to police sources, the injured girl was rescued and shifted to a local hospital for immediate medical treatment and then shifted to Lahore following her critical condition.

Hospital authorities confirmed that the child sustained burns to 60 percent of her body and remains in critical condition.

The local hospital authorities said after receiving initial treatment, she was referred to Lahore for specialised care in the burn ward.

Preliminary investigations of police revealed that the suspects allegedly set the girl on fire due to suspicions that she was affected by black magic or possessed by jinn.

The arrested suspects were identified as the victim’s mother, Lubna Bibi, her brothers Haseeb and Muneeb, and her sister Muzamil Bibi.

Aroop Police said the victim's family members resisted arrest, but the police team successfully overpowered and detained all four suspects involved to set the girl on fire.

City Police Officer (CPO) Gujranwala Dr Sardar Ghiyas Gul Khan said a special inquiry team had been constituted under the supervision of the SP Civil Lines to investigate the incident from all angles.

He said the investigation would be conducted strictly on merit and that all legal requirements would be fulfilled to ensure a strong challan is submitted in court.

The CPO vowed that the suspects would be brought to justice and awarded exemplary punishment in accordance with the law.