Shimla minor gangrape case: IG, SP transferred; SHO suspended
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has asked the CBI to form a three-member special investigation team to probe the case.
In Short
- BJP has called for shutdown today to protest against the state government
- Himachal Pradesh HC has asked CBI to form 3-member SIT to probe the case
- Virbhadra Singh has appealed people to maintain peace assuring justice to family
Having failed to handle minor's gangrape and murder case effectively, senior Shimla police officers faced government's ire on Wednesday night as it transferred two senior cops including Inspector General of Police Zahur Haider Zaidi and SP Shimla DW Negi.
The authorities have already suspended three police officials including SHO Kotkhai for dereliction of duties.
Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has asked the CBI to form a three-member special investigation team to probe the case. The court directions came after the state government moved high court for a speedy probe. The court has also asked the chief secretary to probe the case and take action against the erring officials.
The issue was also raised in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. A delegation of BJP MPs and MLAs also met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and apprised him about the situation demanding imposition of President's rule in the state.
SHUTDOWN IN SHIMLA
The BJP has also called for a Shimla shutdown today to protest against the state government. The police officials are accused of weakening the case to shield the guilty.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has appealed the people to maintain peace assuring justice to the victim's family. He also criticised the BJP for making political capital out of the shameful incident.
A minor school girl was gangraped and later murdered by prime accused Rajinder Singh and five others. One accused died after a scuffle with Rajinder on Tuesday night.
The victim was reported missing on July 4 from Mahasu, Kotkhai in Shimla district. Two days later her body was recovered from a local forest. The accused Rajinder had given lift to the victim in his vehicle.
The girl was gangraped and then brutally killed by the accused and his accomplices, who worked in an apple orchard. Her body was later dumped in the forest. There are allegations that the accused continued to rape the minor even when she was dead.
The incident enraged the locals as crimes like this are rare in Himachal Pradesh. Locals launched protests and even ransacked the Kotkhai Police Station besides torching two police vehicles on Wednesday after one accused Suraj Singh died in custody.
Also read: Shimla gangrape: Protesters ransack police station after suspect dies in custody
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