PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Authorities have detained three individuals suspected of the brutal murders of two transgender women, who were allegedly attacked with daggers in their home in the conservative northwest region of the country, according to police reports released on Wednesday.

District police chief Zahur Babar Afridi informed the media that the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday, following the violent incident that occurred on Sunday in Mardan, a city located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

During a press briefing, the arrested men appeared in handcuffs with their faces obscured by hoods. Afridi stated that they admitted to their involvement in the killings during police interrogation.

Their arrests came after advocacy groups representing the transgender community in northwestern Pakistan called on police to take action against those responsible for the crime just a day prior.

In a society where Muslim-majority values prevail, transgender individuals in Pakistan frequently face harassment, violence, and various forms of abuse. They are also vulnerable to “honor killings” committed by family members as a means of punishing perceived breaches of behavioral norms.

Mardan is situated approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Peshawar, the administrative center of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.