Police close to nabbing rapists and murderers of Uttarkashi girl

People in Uttarkashi district continued to protest in various forms on Monday against the gruesome rape and murder of a minor in Dunda Tehsil of the district. While the Gangotri market remained closed till the afternoon, the Teerth Purohits too boycotted rituals on the banks of the Bhagirathi in Gangotri till afternoon. Meanwhile, the police claim to have established some important leads which may help in nabbing the guilty in the case soon.

Even as the situation remained tense but under control in Uttarkashi on Monday, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the police were close to nabbing the culprits. The police had fulfilled the assurance they had given to the public of nabbing the guilty swiftly. He further said that the State Government already said that it would enact a law to award death penalty for rapists of minors but since the Central Government had done this, the State would aim to ensure that justice is administered without delay.

Meanwhile, talking to The Pioneer, Inspector General Sanjay Gunjyal who was in Uttarkashi, said that the police had established some important leads in the case. The police would make a breakthrough in the case soon, he said.

It will be recalled that a 12 year old girl from a village in Dunda Tehsil of Uttarkashi district was sleeping along with her family members in the courtyard of their home on Friday night when she was kidnapped, allegedly gang raped and murdered by assailants. Her body was found on a bridge near the village on Saturday morning. According to sources, the girl had been gang raped and then strangled to death.

The incident elicited a strong reaction from the local public and people in other parts of the State.

While protest demonstrations were held in Uttarkashi, similar demonstrations were also held in Dehradun and other parts of the state by citizens demanding swift action and death penalty for the rapists and killers of the girl.