Jammu: The Special Investigation Team probing the rape and death of a 15-year-old tribal girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar has arrested three more persons, including a health department daily-wager, for their alleged role in a conspiracy to conceal the sexual assault and terminate the minor’s pregnancy, taking the total number of arrests to five, police said on Wednesday.
The arrests include the alleged main accused, a government school teacher where the girl was studying, and his brother, who were arrested a day after the minor’s death on August 20 following an abortion bid in the Chatroo area.
The three persons arrested subsequently include a sweeper working as a daily-wager at District Hospital Kishtwar, besides Mohd Ishaq and Riyaz Ahmed Sheikh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Naresh Singh said.
The 15-year-old girl was allegedly repeatedly raped by the teacher over the last few months, resulting in her pregnancy, the officer said.
Police Station Chatroo received information about the minor’s suspicious death last Thursday. As no formal complaint had initially been received, inquest proceedings were initiated to ascertain the circumstances leading to her death.
“During the course of the inquest, material disclosing the commission of cognizable offences surfaced, following which the proceedings were converted into an FIR at Police Station Chatroo,” Singh said.
The FIR was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to rape and death caused by miscarriage, among other offences, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
During further investigation, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were also added, the SSP said.
Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the case, a SIT headed by Additional SP Kishtwar Pardeep Singh was constituted. It comprises Deputy Superintendent of Police Nitish Sharma, SHO Chatroo Inspector Rishi Kumar and other officers, with directions to conduct a thorough, scientific and time-bound investigation into all aspects of the case.
During the inquest and subsequent probe, material surfaced against the government teacher, including allegations that he had repeatedly sexually assaulted the minor, resulting in her pregnancy.
The investigation further revealed that the accused, allegedly in criminal conspiracy with his brother, administered medicines purportedly intended to terminate the pregnancy, Singh said.
The minor was initially taken to Public Health Centre Chatroo for medical treatment and was subsequently shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar by the accused and others, allegedly in connivance with the daily-wager employed as a sweeper at the hospital, the officer said.
She received medical treatment at the hospital and underwent an ultrasound examination, he said.
The sweeper, along with Ishaq and Sheikh, was arrested for their alleged involvement in the criminal conspiracy, the SSP said, adding that further arrests would be made wherever warranted by evidence.
“The investigation is being conducted in a fair, impartial, professional, scientific and evidence-based manner. Every aspect of the case is being thoroughly examined, and further legal action against any person found involved will be taken strictly according to law,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, the local Imam of Kishtwar Jamia Masjid has called for a complete shutdown across Kishtwar district on Thursday, demanding a thorough investigation and that all those involved be brought to book.
The shutdown call has been supported by various organisations, including lawyers and Hindu religious bodies.
