Jammu: The 8-year-old girl was raped before brutally killed in Kathua district of Jammu last year, crime branch said as its Special Investigation Team, probing the case, arrested a special police officer who was remained with police party that searched for the girl after her abduction.
Official sources said that the SIT arrested the SPO, Deepak Khujuria, after “clinching evidence” against the 28-year-old in connection with the rape and murder of the girl. A top officer of the crime branch said that police has added RPC section of 376 (rape) in FIR (10/2018 U/S 363, 320, 302 RPC). The section was added after medical report confirmed it, sources said, adding that the SPO was part of the police party that searched for the girl.
On Friday, ruling PDP-BJP government had assured that thorough investigation will be conducted into murder of the minor nomad girl.
Minister for Revenue, Hajj and Auqaf and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri said that strict action will be taken against the culprits.
The SIT comprises Peerzada Naveed Ahmad, Additional SP Crime Branch Kashmir, Shwetambari Sharma, Dy SP Crime Branch Jammu, Nissar Hussain Dy SP Crime Branch Jammu, SI Urfan Wani of Crime Branch Jammu and ASI Tariq Ahmad of Crime Branch, Kashmir.
The minister said the team was taking requisite steps for collection of evidence connected with the crime and criminal to finalize the case.
The police came in for severe criticism for its lack of concern when the victim’s family had approached it with a complaint about her disappearance nearly two weeks ago. Subsequent, the government assigned the case to Crime branch of the police.
The girl’s murder has been rocking the assembly since the day after the dead body was found on Jan 17, and members questioned the police for rounding up only one suspect.
The police had constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder and said that it has arrested one 15-year-old boy who, according to it, had confessed to having killed the girl.
His identity has not been disclosed due to the restrictions imposed by the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, the police has said.
Members had asked how a minor alone could have carried the dead body to a hiding place after committing the murder.
Opposition members had alleged that the police was trying to save others who had helped the accused minor, and was trying to hush the matter up.
