KARACHI: Police claimed to have made significant progress in the rape and murder case of a seven-year-old girl on Monday.The incident took place on July 31 in the victim`s sister`s house in Bhittaiabad, Gulistan-i-Jauhar within the remit of the Sachal police station.

Four suspects the girl`s uncle, her brother-in-law and his two brothers have already been remanded in police custody till Aug 9. A case was registered against them on the complaint of the victim`s brother.

SSP Malir (Investigation) Abid Hussain Qaimkhani said that thevictim girl had been living with her married sister in Karachi following the death of her father in Qambar district around two years ago.

He said that during grilling one of the four suspects had disclosed his involvement in the rape and murder.

He said the victim`s brother-inlaw told investigators that he subjected the minor girl to a criminal assault in the afternoon of July 31 in his house.The girl`s health deteriorated and he beather and strangled her tocoveruptherape.

He also told the police that he had raped the victim `three or four times` before.

He said he used to torture the girl and sometimes inflicted cigarette burns so that she could not tell anyone about her ordeal.

The SSP said that the DNA samples of the suspect and the deceased had been taken and sent to a laboratoryfor aforensicanalysis.

A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 376 (rape) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Later, the police incorporate Section 7 of the AntiTerrorism Act in the FIR on a court directive.

SSP Qaimkhani said the girl`s uncle also told the police that he knew that his son had raped the victim girl but he hid it from the police.