For the peace loving people of the upper hills, above the State Capital Shimla, the murder and gang rape of a 16-year-old girl was something they had never heard of in their lives.
Not surprisingly, ever since the murder and the police apathy came to light Shimla and the nearby areas have been witnessing one protest after the other despite the fact that the State Government has handed over the case to the CBI.
On Wednesday, the magnitude of the violent protest shook the police administration of the State as the mob went on a rampage, burning police station building and vehicles and injuring police personnel in the process. The protests started soon after one of the accused died in police custody, allegedly killed by another co-accused.
Many old timers say that never before in their recent memory they had seen such a spontaneous protest of the people. The opposition BJP called a state-wide protest on Thursday.
As the incident in Kotkhai police lock-up, around 54 km from the State capital, came to light, a large number of locals gathered and forcibly entered the police station, assaulting police personnel for their lapses in the killing of one of the six accused in the lock-up.
The mob ransacked the police station and did not allow the critically injured policemen to be taken to hospital for treatment. It also burnt three police vehicles. Police fired two rounds into the air and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the crowd.
Massive protests continued in Shimla district since the rape and murder of the schoolgirl.
last week, the Government agreed to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. But the investigating agency is yet to take over the case.
Expressing concern over the murder of the rape suspect in the lock-up, Governor Acharya Devvrat asked a report on the episode from the Government. Director General of Police Somesh Goyal, who was summoned by the Governor, apprised him about the developments in the case.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was out of the State capital, cancelled his tour and rushed to Shimla to oversee the developments in the State, which is scheduled to go to the polls in November.
“The Government had earlier formed Special Investigation team and later I personally wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to get CBI inquiry conducted in this case,” said the CM.
In another development, the Government on Wednesday pleaded with the State High Court, which has taken cognizance of the rape and murder of the girl, to order a CBI investigation into the case. During the course of hearing, Advocate General Sharwan Dogra assured the court that the police were investigating the case but demanded the matter should be handed over to the CBI to get justice to the victim.
The girl’s family has been expressing doubts and suspicions about the police investigation.
“Earlier, we were told that the accused belonged to high-profile families and they were on the run,” the girl’s eldest sister told reporters in Kotkhai town. Suddenly, the police arrested six persons, four of whom were labourers -- two from Uttarakhand and two from Nepal, she said. “We are demanding justice for our sister. Our protests will continue till the real culprits are apprehended,” she added.
Shimla’s Member of Parliament Virender Kashyap demanded imposition of President’s Rule in view of complete failure of law and order in the State.
A delegation of members of Parliament representing the State, led by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi and requested him to direct the State to maintain law and order situation.