Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Aug 4: Kotranka town observed bandh and local people held strong protest for over five hours after a young girl was murdered and her body was thrown into a nearby nallah by some unidentified assailants today.
As the dead body of the 15-year-old Ranju Devi, daughter of Jeet Raj, resident of Bai Numbal village ( Kotranka), was recovered from nearby Nallah, just closer to main bridge in the town early morning, the people gathered there. The family members of the girl also rushed at the site as they were searching for the girl since wee hours. The police was also informed by locals of the area.
The police party led by SHO Kotranka, Insp Jehangir reached the site and after examining spot, they shifted the body for postmortem to local hospital. Father of the girl, who is labourer by profession said that they were putting up in a rented accommodation at Kotranka (Jaglanu) for some time and his children were studying in local school. He also said that a youth of the area, working as driver with a tractor trolley was after his daughter and was teasing her for the last some time. He alleged that his daughter, who was studying in class 10th was kidnapped last night and was murdered by him and his associates. He said the girl was studying up to 11 pm at home last night and went missing mysteriously last mid night.
As the news of girl’s alleged rape and murder spread in the town, the people from one community came out on the road and started protest. The entire market was closed and many people from both the communities later joined protest. They demanded that accused be arrested without any delay. They also raised slogans against police and alleged that crime was on the rise. The Rajouri-Kotranka-Budhal road remained blocked from 10 AM to 3 PM. SDM, Tehsildar and SHO Kotranka failed to pacify the protesters. No senior officer from Rajouri reached there to control the situation.
The local doctors conducted postmortem but the relatives of the victim and people stressed that body be shifted to Rajouri hospital and Medical Board should conduct postmortem there. Later, with the intervention of DC, Rajouri the body was shifted to Rajouri hospital and a Medical Board of three doctors conducted postmortem and then sent the body to Kotranka in the evening. The relatives of the girl also held protest there at District hospital, Rajouri. Some injury marks were visible on the girl’s body besides serious head injury.
Addl SP Rajouri, Tahir Saleem assured the protesting relatives and villagers that police has started investigation and the accused involved in the offence will be arrested shortly. He said that father, Wazir Ali of the of tractor driver has been lifted for questioning and main accused will also be behind the bars shortly.
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