E-Paper
14-yr-old girl found hanging in Ludhiana: Employer booked for murder after kin protest
A day after a 14-year-old girl was found hanging from a ceiling fan at the house where she worked as a cook in Kundanpuri, police booked her 65-year-old employer for murder on Tuesday; however, the autopsy report has not confirmed murder or sexual assault
A day after a 14-year-old girl was found hanging from a ceiling fan at the house where she worked as a cook in Kundanpuri, police booked her 65-year-old employer for murder on Tuesday.
Accusing the employer, Ajay Sharma , of raping and murdering the minor, the victim’s kin staged a protest outside his house on Tuesday morning. Earlier, they had marched towards civil hospital and refused to give permission for the post mortem, but police pacified them. Later, they tried to block traffic on Bharat Nagar Chowk and police had to use force to disperse them.
The protesters accused the police of allegedly favouring Sharma and said they will not cremate the body till they get justice.
However, the autopsy report has not confirmed murder or sexual assault. A board of three doctors performed the postmortem and have sent swab samples for chemical examination to determine if the girl had been sexually assaulted. The doctors found three new and several old cut marks on the forearm of the victim, which had been inflicted by sharp object.
Police commissioner Kaustubh Sharma said that prima facie, there appears to be no sign of sexual assault. However, the police lodged a murder case against Sharma based on the statement of the deceased’s family members.
The girl had been working as a cook at the house for the past one and a half years and was found hanging on the first floor of the house. Her body was discovered by the other domestic help, after Sharma asked her to check on the girl as she had not come downstairs for a long time.
On Monday afternoon, the girl’s relatives had gathered outside the house and alleged that she had been raped and murdered. The situation got tense after they started pelting stones at the house, following which heavy police force was deployed. Police used force to disperse them and at least four cops suffered minor injuries in the melee.
Due to the protest, heavy police force was deputed in Kundanpuri and other parts of the city to avoid any untoward situation. Security was also beefed up outside the police commissioner’s office.
