E-Paper
Jalandhar rape-murder: Rights panel finds chinks in police probe, says ASI violated protocols
The Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) has found serious lapses in the police investigation in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Jalandhar
Jalandhar: The Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) has found serious lapses in the police investigation in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Jalandhar.
On November 22, a 14-year-old girl was raped and murdered by a 46-year-old accused, identified as Harminder Singh. Her body was retrieved from one of the washrooms of Singh’s residence.
Chairperson of the PHRO justice Ranjit Singh (retd) submitted a six-page investigation report carried by the organisation to director general of police (DGP) Guarav Yadav, citing glaring chinks in the police investigation.
Sarabjit Singh Verka, human rights lawyer and chief investigator at the PHRO, said in their investigation, it was found that dismissed ASI Mangat Ram took a private safai sewak working in the police station along with him to carry a search at the residence of the accused, violating police protocols. “In his statement to senior police officials, Mangat Ram admitted that he was alone at the police station when he received information about the missing girl. He had no option than to take a safai worker along with him to the crime spot,” Verka said.
The ASI was dismissed while two more police personnel deputed in the PCR unit were suspended, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated against them.
The report also slammed the police for failing to collect crucial evidence from the location where Singh allegedly assaulted and strangled the victim before hiding her body in a washroom. Additionally, the role of another person present at Singh’s house, who initially spoke to ASI Mangat Ram, was not properly documented, according to the PHRO.
The PHRO has also written to the DGP to appoint a senior woman IPS officer to lead the probe.
Accused’s police custody extended by two days
The police custody of the accused was extended by two more days on Wednesday. Singh was presented before the court after his initial nine-day police remand ended.
After being caught at the crime scene on November 22, Singh was beaten up by locals, which led to his hospitalisation for two days before his formal arrest on November 24.
A case has been registered under Sections 103 (murder) and 65(1) (rape) of the BNS, along with relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
According to the police, the victim, who lived in a neighbouring house, was found dead in a washroom at Singh’s home. The accused is the father of the victim’s best friend. The girl had gone to his house on November 22 to meet his daughter, and the accused was alone at home at the time, as his wife and daughter were away.
The victim’s family had filed a missing person’s report on the evening of November 22 when the girl did not return home. After unsuccessful attempts to find her, they approached the police. However, the police initially failed to search Singh’s house, and the first police team returned without any leads.
It was only after locals scanned CCTV footage showing the girl entering Singh’s house around 4pm and not leaving that they became suspicious. The locals then entered the house and discovered the victim’s body in a washroom.
