Crime branch raids accused’s home
By Tehelka Web Desk
The Crime Branch on Wednesday raided the residence of the prime accused in the rape-and-death case of a 15-year-old tribal girl in Kishtwar, while authorities terminated the services of another sanitation worker of District Hospital Kishtwar following her arrest in the case.
The case was handed over to the Crime Branch on August 29 following protests and widespread condemnation over the death of the minor, who was allegedly raped by her school teacher over several months.
The girl died on August 20 during a pregnancy termination procedure.
The police had registered an FIR at Chatroo police station under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has so far arrested seven people in connection with the case, including the main accused, his brother, two hospital sanitation workers and a nurse.
Officials said a Crime Branch team raided the residence of the prime accused as well as the house of his brother as part of the ongoing investigation.
The searches were conducted to gather evidence and examine material that could help establish the sequence of events and the alleged involvement of the accused, officials said.
In a related development, the services of a hospital development fund (HDF) sanitation worker at District Hospital Kishtwar were terminated with immediate effect following her arrest on August 30.
The termination order said:
“This office has been formally intimated about the said arrest…the allegations and the nature of the offences involved are of an extremely grave and serious nature, which have rendered the continuation of the said individual in service wholly incompatible with the discipline, integrity, reputation and functioning of a public health institution.”
The case remains under investigation by the Crime Branch.
