Judicial probe launched into deaths of two girls in Lahore police custody after families seek investigation.

A judicial magistrate in Lahore has begun a Section 176 inquiry into the suspicious deaths of two under‑age girls, Amina and Anmol, who were in police custody on Aug. 4. The sequence began when an emergency call was made at 2:54 pm on Aug. 4 by a complainant who said the girls had entered his house and stolen gold jewelry and cash. A sub‑Inspector arrived at 3:11 pm, brought the girls to the town police station, and handed them over to the duty clerk at 3:26 pm. The complainant filed an application at 4:40 pm, and an FIR was registered at 4:50 pm. At 5:20 pm the station recorded the transfer of the girls’ custody from the operations wing to the investigation wing. At 6:03 pm the station called Rescue 1122 for the girls’ deteriorating condition. The rescue team arrived at 6:14 pm, found one girl “almost dead” and the other unconscious, and moved both to Jinnah Hospital. A doctor pronounced the unconscious girl dead; the other, in critical condition, died shortly afterward. Senior police officers arrived at about 9:30 pm, apprised higher authorities, and a dispute arose between the operations and investigation wings, each shifting responsibility for custody. Video footage shows the girls stable when brought to the station, being questioned, and sitting on chairs. The station’s security cameras did not capture details of their interrogation. Investigation police have suggested a drug overdose as a probable cause, but post‑mortem reports are pending. SSP Mohammad Naveed denies allegations of custodial torture, stating the girls were chronic drug users and died due to the substances they had consumed. The judicial inquiry will examine custody circumstances, the transfer of responsibility, CCTV footage, statements of police officials and witnesses, and the findings of the post‑mortem reports to uncover the facts behind the deaths.