Three held over assault of boy in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: Police have arrested three men in connection with the assault of a 15-year-old boy in the Sum Allai Mung area of Siren Valley, according to a police statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement said 18 people had been booked in the case. It said five of them first kidnapped and assaulted the teenager and then recorded a video of the act to blackmail him if he told his parents or police about what had happened.

The victim's father lodged a first information report with Shinkiari police. In the FIR, he said his son had been abducted earlier this month when he went to visit his aunt's house. Attributing the account to the complainant, police said the boy was kept in a room and repeatedly assaulted, while the act was also filmed to threaten him into silence.

Police registered the case under sections 376 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 53 of the Child Protection Act. The police statement said raids were under way to arrest the remaining suspects.