15-year-old maid `raped`, murdered in Pakistan

Lahore: A 15-year-old maid has been murdered allegedly by her employers after raping her in this Pakistani city. Police arrested businessman Sheikh Shaukat and his three young sons in Faisal Town area on a complaint of Shamim Bibi, mother of victim Azra. The police said they did not rule out the possibility of rape before the murder. Superintendent Tariq Aziz said the police responded to a call from Shaukat`s residence yesterday and found the girl`s body on stairs leading to the roof.

"A piece of cloth was found close to the body and marks of strangulation were also spotted on her neck," Aziz said. Bibi said her daughter was employed at Shaukat`s residence four months ago on 4,000 rupees monthly salary. She suspected that sons of Shaukat might have killed Azra after raping her. The police officer said the autopsy would determine the exact cause of Azra`s death. Last week, a 10-year-old maid had been brutally tortured to death here allegedly by her employers for "stealing" 100 rupees.