Nine days after the alleged rape and murder of a five-year-old Dalit girl in Hoshiarpur, the Punjab Police Friday submitted its charge sheet in the case in a special court. A special prosecutor has been appointed for expeditious proceedings in the case, in which the state government has sought a fast-track trial to ensure speedy justice for the victim, the daughter of a migrant from Bihar.
As per a statement, the district police completed the investigation into the case in less than 10 days. The minor was allegedly raped, killed and then set on fire on October 21. Her half-burnt body was found in the house of a fellow villager.
A 20-year-old youth, Surpreet Singh, and his 80-year-old grandfather Surjit Singh were arrested on charges of murder, rape and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on October 21.
Taking note of the incident, which was being given a political colour, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who also holds the Home portfolio, had directed the Punjab Police to submit its chargesheet in court within 10 days.
“In strict compliance of the CM’s directive, the police today submitted their final report in the special court (in Hoshiarpur district) of Neelam Arora in a record time of nine days after completing the probe in just eight days of the incident,” a police statement said.
The probe was conducted by Deputy Superintendent of Police (crime against women) Hoshiarpur, Madhvi Sharma under the supervision of SSP Navjot Mahal. DGP Dinkar Gupta said utmost vigil was practiced during the course of investigation, which was carried out expeditiously without compromising on quality at any stage. “Forensic teams were called in to collect evidence from the scene of the crime, while technical evidence and DNA samples were taken for forensic examination to state-of-the art laboratories. The postmortem of the deceased has been conducted by a board of medical officers,” the DGP said.
The BJP has been attacking the Congress over the alleged rape and killing of the minor. It asked why opposition party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have not visited the family of the victim yet.
The girl was a migrant labourer’s youngest, after five other daughters, who are 20, 19, 13, 11 and 9, all of them born in Punjab. While the two eldest never went to school, the others are enrolled in a government school. The 5-year-old went to an anganwadi.