JOIN USA Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team led by IGP Pronab Mohanty on Wednesday began a probe into the death of a 14-year-old girl in Thirthahalli.
The team visited the residence of eyewitnesses, Kamalamma and Jayamma. The two women reportedly rescued the victim who was allegedly taken to Anandagiri hill near Tunga college by a three-member group last week.
Kamalamma said while collecting firewood at Anandagiri hill, she heard a girl screaming for water. She noticed the victim and told her to come down. She asked the victim as to why she was here. The victim then told Kamalamma that she was abducted by three people who took her there.
“She only asked for water and did not mention poison. Later I brought her to my house and called the girl’s father to take her home,” Kamalamma added.
The officials then visited the victim’s residence and questioned her family, including her father, mother and grandmother, for more than an hour.
Speaking to the media, Mohanty said: “The investigation has just started. So, we cannot provide any information at this juncture.” The team includes CID SP Rajappa, DySPs Raveendran and Siddeshwar, and inspector I N Reddy.
Krishnappa, the victim’s father, said: “We have shared all information with the investigating team. We are hopeful that the police will nab the culprits. We have been asked to submit the photocopy of medical reports of JC hospital, Thirthahalli, and McGann hospital, Shimoga. We will do it soon.”
In the early hours of Wednesday, miscreants tried to set a place of worship belonging to a minority community at Kumbaradadige on fire.
According to the police, window, books and other materials were partially burnt. The miscreants tried to burn down the whole place using kerosene, but they did not succeed.
Visit by panel chief
Karnataka State Women’s Commission Chairperson Manjula Manasa met the members of the girl at her house in Thirthahalli on Wednesday. Speaking to media persons, she said that she had collected some key details from the girl’s family and a report would be submitted to the government soon. She said that she was not an agent of any political party.
“People should know the truth. I condemn the politicisation of the case. The house of the victim should not become the office of any political party,” she said.
BJP MLC P V Krishna Bhat and Manjula Manasa had a heated argument in the girl’s house, as the latter entered the house when the former was still talking with the family members. It is said that Manjula didn’t recognise Bhat, which enraged him and his associates. Later, the chairman of the commission is said to have waited outside the house for 15 minutes for the BJP leaders to leave.