19-year-old dies after sexual torture by husband in Pakistan

A 19-year-old woman who suffered severe sexual torture by her husband just days after their wedding died Wednesday morning at a public hospital in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, after spending nearly two weeks in a coma.

Shanti died at 10:46 a.m. at Civil Hospital's trauma center, where she had been receiving treatment since early July for injuries that included internal trauma from an iron rod and cuts to various parts of her body, according to police and hospital officials.

Dr. Summaiya Syed, the police surgeon who examined Shanti upon her arrival at Civil Hospital, confirmed evidence of sexual torture. Hospital protocols automatically triggered a criminal investigation when she was admitted as a suspected crime victim.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about domestic violence in Pakistan, where women's rights advocates say many cases go unreported due to social stigma and family pressure to resolve such matters privately.

Timeline

The young woman had been married to Ashok on June 15. Two days later, on June 17, she told her parents about the brutal sexual violence she had endured. Her family initially sought treatment at two private hospitals before bringing her to the government-run Civil Hospital on July 4.

Police filed a formal complaint on July 5 and arrested Ashok the same day. He faces charges under Pakistan's penal code for unnatural offenses and attempted murder.

Shanti had remained unconscious since July 7. Hospital officials conducted a post-mortem examination following her death, but the complete report detailing the cause of death has not yet been released.