Thousands march to demand justice for woman raped and murdered in Bihar

Police recovered the woman’s body on March 18 from a canal days after she went missing after appearing for an exam on March 14 for recruitment of constables

Thousands of people marched to the police superintendent and sub-district magistrate’s office in Bihar’s Bagaha on Monday to demand justice for a 20-year-old tribal woman, who was allegedly raped and murdered on March 14.

Representational image. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

Police recovered the woman’s body on March 18 from a canal days after she went missing after appearing for an exam on March 14 for recruitment of constables.

Since March 19, residents have been holding a candle march in Bagaha demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Adiwasi Oraon Mahasabha chief Rajesh Oraon said the incident has shaken the community and demanded a fast-tracked investigation and ₹20 lakh compensation for the woman’s family.

The woman’s father alleged that Chiutahan and Semra police stations earlier referred the matter to each other over jurisdiction issues when he visited them to file his daughter’s missing report.

“My daughter last talked to me around 8 pm on Sunday when she was returning home in an auto after taking the exam. Her phone was switched off a few hours later. ...I lodged a complaint at the Chiutaha police station the next morning.”

Police superintendent Kiran Kumar Gorakh Jadhav said on the basis of the father’s statement, they arrested the auto driver Raju Baitha and send him in judicial custody. He added the girl’s autopsy report has established rape. “Action will be taken against the police officers if they are found guilty of inaction.”