Jind rape-murder: Victim’s mother casts doubt on village youth being key accused

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jhansa (Kurukshetra), January 16

Family members of the 15-year-old Dalit girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered, have rejected the police theory that a youth of their village Jhansa could be the key conspirator in the crime.

The wailing mother told The Tribune, at her two-room residence here on Tuesday, that her 15-year-old daughter could have been victimised by a group of unknown persons.

She said the boy, who belongs to the Balmiki community, was also missing under mysterious circumstances since January 9 and that made the police point their finger at him.

“The 18-year-old boy is suffering from various ailments. I do not buy the theory that a person with such a poor health could brutally rape and murder my daughter. Culprits are some other persons and the police must arrest them at the earliest,” said the mother while showing a photo of the missing youth saved in her nephew’s mobile phone.

According to Namrata Gaur, a member of the Haryana Women Commission, the girl, whose body with mutilated private parts was found at Jind district’s Budhakhera village last Friday, and the boy were in a relationship.

She had stated yesterday that both families had counselled the pair to concentrate on studies.

However, the girl’s family members today refrained from making any comment on the issue.

The mother and other close relatives claimed the deceased girl had never complained of being harassed by him or any other youth.

“The family has been provided with two armed police personnel. We hope the police will complete the investigation in the case at the earliest. All we want is justice,” said the mother.

Meanwhile, police sources said the call detail records secured from the mobile phone signal tower state that the boy’s cell phone was found active in Jhansa region till 10 pm on January 9.

After that, his phone was reportedly found switched off.

“Two village youths claim to have seen the victim and the boy near Markanda river bridge at around 4 pm on January 9. Police teams are searching CCTV footage installed at the village for conclusive evidence,” said a source.

Meanwhile, the police teams recorded statements of classmates of the deceased and teachers.

“Police teams have detained more than six persons for questioning. Any clue on the boy is crucial for the case. It is more than a week and his whereabouts are still not known,” said another source.