Three suspects in connection with the rape-cum-murder of the seven-year-old girl in Nainital's Kathgodam area on November 20 have finally been arrested by the Nainital district police in a joint operation of STF and SOG teams. Acting on the basis of the inputs provided by the close relatives of the deceased, the main suspect Akhtar Ali, alias Shamim, son Maksud Ali, a native of Champaran district of Bihar, was arrested from ludhiana late on Thursday night, said ADG (land and order) Ram Singh Meena.
On the basis of his revelation, Ali's two associates- Prem Pal, son of lal Krishan Prasad, a native of Pilibhit (presently staying at Kathgodam), and Junior Mashih, alias Poksi, son of Arun Mashih, a native of Kantopa, police station Rudrapur (presently staying at Kathgodam), have been arrested from Haldwani, he added. The suspects were working as drivers of the dumpers used in the collection of riverbed materials in Gola River.
The investigation and interrogation of the suspects are on. All efforts would be made to take the case to its logical conclusion, asserted ADG Meena. When asked about the injuries inflicted upon the deceased, the investigating police team maintained that apparently it was case of sexual assault leading to death. There was no such major injury mark on her body. Even one of the legs of the deceased which was earlier reported to have been broken, was found intact, the investigating police team clarified.
Tracing of phone call details by way of putting them under surveillance proved to be a turning-point in the case. Phone call details of over 1,000 people were analysed. That helped them crack the case, said police. However, the refrain that runs here is that the culprits would have been arrested earlier had police been a bit more alert.
The people who were sitting on agitation said that the family members of the girl had suspected the accused and questioned him about the girl's whereabouts. The complaint was lodged on the same night the crime was committed. "However, police let him off the hook presumably under pressure from the dumper owners without probing the case. Had they been more honest and active the accused would have been arrested at the night of the crime," said one of the agitators.
The main suspect had first left for Delhi and then reached ludhiana instead of going to his native place in Bihar, said