The people living in Chamoli district where hardly any serious crime occurs woke up to horror on Sunday morning when they learnt that an 11-year-old girl of Narayanbagar village was raped and murdered allegedly by a neighbour, an expelled policeman aged around 30. The accused Virendra lal, resident of village Kimoli, was arrested on Sunday evening. He was sent to Chamoli jail after being presented in the court on Monday. The court has fixed next hearing on September 26, it is learnt.
“Such an incident in a tranquil district like ours makes us horror-struck. We wonder how such a thing can happen to a minor and that too done by a neighbour,” said a senior citizen from the town, Sumit Dhyani.
Notably, the accused Virendra Kumar who had been deputed in Rudraprayag was later thrown out of the police department. Revenue police had registered a case and the accused was arrested on Sunday evening.
Earlier, upon receiving complaint from the victim’s family, a case (FIR-1/15) under sections 376/302/201 of IPC and sections ¾ of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against accused Virendra lal in the police station (revenue area), Panti.
Police sources said that the incident happened when the victim went to fetch milk in the neighbourhood on Sunday morning. Around half kilometers away from her home, she was raped and later murdered, police said. When she had not reached home after an hour or so, the worried local family members began to search her. Her uncle while searching found a milk pot, lying at a place a little away from their home. On closer inspection, he saw the body of the victim lying there amidst bruised bushes. Other family members were informed.
On receiving the news, revenue police rushed to the spot and collected evidences related to the case. The local residents informed them that Virendra lal of Kimoli village was seen in the village in the morning talking to the minor.
The angry villagers from leguna, Bedula and Kimoli assembled and blocked the Narayanbagar-Bhagoti-motor road for hours, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.
Understanding the gravity of things, SDM, other district offices and revenue police team rushed to the spot and they appealed to them to open the road. They refused to budge. They withdrew the blockade only after the accused was arrested.
local MlA Jeetram who reached the spot on Sunday also faced the wrath of the local residents.
They demanded exemplary punishment of the accused. The accused was produced in the court by the police on Monday and was sent to jail in Chamoli, said Chamoli SP PRO CS Parmar.