J&K rape-death case: Top cop reviews probe, Crime Branch reconstructs final days
According to officials, the minor was raped by her school teacher in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district over several months before she died during a pregnancy termination procedure at a hospital on August 20. Seven people have been arrested in connection.
A senior police official visited Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday to review the Crime Branch investigation into the alleged rape and death of a 15-year-old tribal girl, officials said.
Inspector General of Police (Crime) Sahara Rizvi visited the Chatroo area and took stock of the progress made by the Crime Branch team, which is examining evidence, establishing the alleged roles of the accused and others linked to the case, and reconstructing the events leading to the girl's death.
The case was transferred to the Crime Branch on August 29 following protests and demands from residents and various groups for an impartial and comprehensive investigation.
As part of the probe, the agency conducted searches on Tuesday at the residences of the two accused brothers, Tariq Hussain and teacher Khalid Hussain.
According to officials, the minor was raped by her school teacher over several months before she died during a pregnancy termination procedure at a hospital on August 20.
Police had earlier constituted a Special Investigation Team, which arrested seven people in connection with an FIR registered at Chatroo police station under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Those arrested include the main accused, his brother, two hospital sanitation workers and a nurse.
In a related development, the services of a Hospital Development Fund sanitation worker at District Hospital Kishtwar were terminated with immediate effect after her arrest in the case on August 30. The termination order said hospital authorities had been formally informed about her arrest and described the allegations and offences as "extremely grave and serious".
It further said her continuation in service was "wholly incompatible with the discipline, integrity, reputation and functioning of a public health institution."
The Crime Branch is now continuing the investigation, with searches and evidence-gathering underway to establish the full sequence of events and the alleged roles of those involved.