BHOPAL/CHANDIGARH: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has condemned the rape and murder of the five-year-old daughter of migrant workers from MP’s Damoh in Jhajjar city of Haryana, and is sending a police team over to meet the family.
Chouhan spoke with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar over telephone on Tuesday and urged him to help the affected family and ensure stringent punishment. Khattar assured swift justice .Haryana Police suspended head constable Anil Kumar on Tuesday and recommended dismissal of home guard volunteer Mohit for negligence. On Sunday evening, Anil and Mohit had allegedly ignored desperate calls for help by the girl’s family after she was found raped and murdered. Police took action only after the family contacted Jhajjar SSP Rajesh Duggal, who rushed an SHO to the crime spot and arrested a history-sheeter in the case.
Haryana horror: Govt gives Rs 4 lakh to child’s family
Questions are also being raised on Jhajjar police’ ignorance of the accused’s criminal record. Preliminary investigation has revealed that he has eight criminal cases registered against him, including a double murder of policemen in Rajasthan and molestation. “The cases against him are mostly in Rajasthan and he is not on the ‘wanted’ list. Barring this case, he is not involved in any other heinous crime here,’’ said Duggal.
A Madhya Pradesh police team, led by ADG Anant Kumar Singh, is on its way to Haryana. The child had turned five the day she was raped and murdered.
Calling the crime “heartbreaking”, Chouhan spoke with the family and sanctioned Rs4 lakh as immediate assistance. He informed MP ministers about the incident at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting and said the MP government stands with the family. Her father has told police that the accused, who was once their landlord, kidnapped, raped and murdered the child. The autopsy report suggests she was smothered.
SSP Duggal said the investigating officers have been told to expedite the case proceedings and file a chargesheet at the earliest. “This case calls for capital punishment,” he said.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)