Hafizabad, June 5, 2025 — In a major development in the horrific Hafizabad gang-rape case, one of the main accused, Khawar Ansari, was killed in an alleged police encounter while being taken to identify his accomplices, ARY News reported on Thursday.
The tragic incident unfolded when a couple, returning home on a motorcycle after visiting relatives, was intercepted by armed men at a deserted location near a graveyard in Mangat Uncha, Hafizabad. The woman was abducted and gang-raped in front of her husband, while the attackers filmed the assault and later uploaded the video to the internet, sparking nationwide outrage.
A case was registered against eight suspects under charges of abduction, rape, sexual assault, and robbery, and several arrests have since been made. The victim recently recorded her statement before a civil judge under Section 164 CrPC, revealing chilling details of the assault, including how both she and her husband were held at gunpoint, stripped, and forced to perform acts on camera.
READ MORE: Woman gang-raped in front of Husband, attackers film the horror
According to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the accused, Khawar Ansari, was in police custody and was being escorted to identify his fellow attackers when the police convoy was ambushed by unidentified gunmen attempting to free him. A gun battle ensued, during which Khawar Ansari was fatally shot, allegedly by his own accomplices’ bullets.
The assailants managed to escape under the cover of darkness, and a manhunt is currently underway to trace and arrest them.
Law enforcement agencies have vowed to bring all perpetrators to justice, while civil society groups are demanding swift trials and exemplary punishment for those involved in this heinous crime.
