Fast track court reopens a high-profile alleged gang rape and murder case of a dalit minor girl of Haryana

JIND: A special and fast track court of Kurukshetra district for protection of children from sexual offences ordered to reopen a high profile case of an alleged gang rape and murder case related a dalit minor girl (15). Notably, father of the victim girl had approached Kurukshetra police on January 10, 2018 that her daughter who was a class X student had gone for tuition on January 9 and did not return home following which a missing report under section 346 was lodged in the police station.

However, On January 13, police had recovered a half naked body of a girl in a razwaha (canal) at Budha Khera village, falls on Safidon road in Jind district, 100 KM away from Kurukshetra district. The body was sent for autopsy in post-graduation institutions of medical sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak where a team led by then head of the department Dr SK Dhattarwal told the media persons that she had sustained multiple injuries and her uterus was displaced and private parts were brutally damaged. He had stated that it seems that five or more persons had gang raped her leading to brutal injuries in her private parts. A pointed item was inserted into her private part, he stated.

Thereafter, Safidon police of Jind district had lodged a case under section 376 D (gang rape), 376 A ( Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim) 302 (murder), POCSO and other sections of IPC.

However, thereafter, investigation was conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS) New Delhi again which suggested that it was a suicidal act. The incident was condemned at national level and people termed it like a Nirbhaya incident of Delhi that occurred in 2012. People held protests as well seeking justice for the victim girl.

However, Kurukshetra police which conducted further investigation filed a cancellation report in the matter before court July 7, 2019. There was a strong resentment among people and family members after this move by the police.

“We filed a protest petition before the POCSO court on July 21, 2022 after the victim’s father decided to fight to bring justice for his daughter. We produced 27 witnesses in the case including doctors, reporters, police, fact witness, investigating officer and others into the matter. We produced enough evidence which proves that the girl had sustained injuries before her death. All injuries were suffered before drowning on the canal. It was not possible that the girl committed suicide by jumping in the Bhakra canal in Kurukshetra district and moved to a small razwaha in Jind district. There are a number of reasons which suggest that the victim girl had faced a brutal attack by an unidentified accused. But police closed the case instead of solving the mystery. Police had failed to bring justice to the victim girl in this case. But now we are hopeful that police will perform its duty after this decision of the court which asked the Kurukshetra SP to conduct a high-level investigation from a senior police official, said Sudesh Kumari, an activist and advocate who filed a protest petition in this case.

The verdict (available with TOI) suggests that Payal Mittal, additional district and session judge observed that keeping in view all the facts that as it was a case of fatal physical assault and not merely a case of drowning as there is no explanation regarding the injuries, the matter be sent to SP Kurukshetra for further investigation as the previous investigation was not sufficient. The matter should be investigated through a responsible police official in this case. Hence, protest petition is hereby accepted, reads order.

Courtesy : TOI

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