Dumka Killing: Jharkhand HC Takes Cognisance of Girl's Death, Summons DGP

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday, 30 August, took cognisance of the recent incident, in which a class 12 student died after being set on fire, and summoned the DGP, seeking a report on the matter. The high court also instructed that the girl's family should be provided adequate security.

The chief justice of the high court also told the DGP to take action against the police officer (DSP) who had stated that the accused is mentally retarded. The court said that it will monitor the process of investigation.

Further, the Child Welfare Committee of Jharkhand’s Dumka district on Tuesday said that the student was a minor and demanded action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

The CWC said that according to her class 10 board examination marksheet, the girl was around 16 years old and, hence, was a minor, the police claimed.

Dumka CWC Chairperson Amrendra Kumar said, "We recommend that sections of the POCSO Act be added to the FIR as the girl was a minor as per our probe.” Kumar added that she was born in November 2006 and thus, “Sections under the POCSO Act are applicable in this case."

A four-member CWC team met the victim’s family on Monday and procured her marksheet.

Earlier, the police had claimed that in a statement, given before a magistrate, the deceased had said that she was 19 years old.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the family of the deceased Jharkhand teenager will get justice only if the perpetrators of the heinous act are given the strictest punishment.

CID Officials, Forensic Scientists Arrive at Deceased's Residence

A 10-member probe team, headed by Crime Investigation Department DSP Sandeep Kumar Gupta, arrived at the girl's residence with members from the CID, the Forensic Science Laboratory, and the Finger Print bureau.

Gupta said, "We are collecting evidence from the site which will be later presented before the court. We received an order to come here yesterday."

Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by the superintendent of police, has been constituted to probe the case, ANI quoted Jharkhand Police ADG (HQ) ML Meena as saying.

What Had Happened?

The class 12 girl was admitted to the Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in Dumka in critical condition with 90 percent burns. Later, she was referred to Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) for better treatment, the police said.

The accused, who was arrested, had thrown inflammable liquid and lit up the curtains, the police said. They added that the accused also threw the liquid inside the room so that she could not escape and was trapped inside. Her family and friends rescued her.

The victim had said that the accused called her on her cell phone around 10 days ago, pestering her to become his friend.

The accused again called the victim on her phone on 22 August and threatened to kill her if she did not talk to him. She then informed her father about the threat and he assured her that he would talk to the man's family on Tuesday, 23 August.

After the family had their dinner, they went to sleep. The victim was sleeping in another room.

"On Tuesday morning, I experienced a sensation of pain on my back and could smell something burning. I found him running away when I opened my eyes. I started screaming in pain and went to my father's room," she had said.

"My parents doused the fire and took me to the hospital," the victim had earlier told the police.

(With inputs from ANI.)