Haryana horror: Accused in Jind rape and murder found dead near Bhakra canal

The body of an 18-year-old boy, who was identified as the main suspect in the gang-rape and murder of a minor girl in Haryana, was pulled out a canal on Tuesday night adding more complexity to what has been a horrific week in that state.

Family members of the boy had denied that he had any role to play in the minor girl’s death, telling Hindustan Times that ‘he could not even harm a rat.’

The teenager was found dead a week after he and the 15-year-old girl went missing from Jhansa village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra.

The girl’s body was found on January 12 near a canal in neighbouring Jind district. She had been raped and the teenager was the main suspect.

The Class X student's half-naked body was found on Saturday from near the bank of a canal in a village in Jind district after she had gone missing last Tuesday.

She was brutally assaulted, her private parts mutilated and some of the vital organs ruptured, police had said earlier.

Some of the victim's teachers recalled that she was a bright student whose conduct in the school was quite good.

Two special investigation teams (SITs) under DSP-rank officers have already been constituted to probe the incident.

Police have launched a hunt to nab an accused youth who is alleged to have abducted the girl from Kurukshetra when she went to attend a tuition class.

So far, five rape cases have been reported in Haryana in the past five days. 

RC Mishra, ADGP Ambala Range landed in trouble after he was quoted as saying, "It's part of society. Such incidents have been taking place since forever. Role of police is to probe, nab criminal & prove things. We're leaving no stone unturned to do that. We must work to stop such incidents from recurring". His statement has come at a time when the state is reeling under series of crimes against women and the opposition is currently asking for CM Khattar to resign. 

"We are investigating and scanning all CCTV cameras in the area. All people related to the case are being interrogated. After we receive FSL report, we can make a further comment," said RC Mishra, ADGP Ambala Range about the rape and murder case of 15-year-old Dalit girl from a village in Kurukshetra district. Incidentally the body of the accused in the case has been found on Wednesday in a canal near Jyotisar.

Meanwhile, amid mounting attack from the opposition over deteriorating law and order, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, "Such incidents are unfortunate. We'll take strict action and tie up all loose ends. We have made changes in the police administration and transferred a few officers." "I appeal political parties to not politicise the issue," he added.

In the wake of the recent rapes and murders in Haryana, DGP B S Sandhu on Tuesday held a meeting with senior police officers and directed field units to give utmost priority to cases of crime against women and children. The meeting was attended by field officers of the rank of Commissioners of Police, IGPs of various police ranges, Superintendents of Police of various districts, among other officers via videoconferencing, an official release said here.

Expressing serious concerns over the recent cases of crimes against women, Sandhu directed all field units to put the best resources available with them to detection and prevention of such offences, it said. "No missing report should be taken casually and prompt action should be initiated. There should be close monitoring at the level of the SP and the Range IGP," Sandhu said.Notably, two minor Dalit girls were allegedly raped and killed in separate incidents last week, barely a month after a similar case involving a six-year-old girl shook the state.

Sending a clear message to all field officers, the DGP said safety and security of every citizen is paramount, especially of women and children, and under no circumstances any lapse or negligence on the part of any staff or official of any rank while dealing with such cases would be tolerated, the statement read. He further urged the Range IGPs, Commissioners of Police and SPs to strengthen and personally monitor the functioning of women helpline and involve the youth and representatives of society in fighting crimes against women, it said. He also directed all SPs/CPs to ensure security and patrolling near all women colleges and schools.