Pakistani police have arrested one of two suspects in the rape of a woman who was dragged from her car and attacked in front of her children after her car broke down on a desolate highway in central Punjab province.

The woman had locked her car doors when she ran out of fuel after calling highway police for help. As she waited, two attackers broke her car window, dragged her outside and raped her in front of her terrified children. The suspects are also accused of stealing cash and jewelry from the woman before fleeing.

Some local media has reported that the suspect turned himself over to police to plead his innocence. Meanwhile; Chief of the criminal investigation wing of the Punjab police, Atif Nazeer mentioned that the suspect denies any involvement in the rape, which took place on Wednesday.

Further to this, recently appointed Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh has been under fire from public, for blaming the victim for traveling alone with her two children after midnight without checking whether her car had enough fuel.

The assault has drawn widespread condemnation on social media, with protesters demanding the perpetrators be publicly hanged.