Dumka Minor Girl Rape: NCPCR Chief Requests Authorities to Let Him Meet Victim’s Family; Security Deployed Amid Bandh

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief Priyank Kanoongo, who is in Jharkhand with his team to probe two minor girls’ death in Dumka, claimed on Monday that the state government was “trying to obstruct investigations”. Kanoongo said that he had informed the government about the visit, but necessary arrangements have not been made to aid the inquiry.

A 14-year-old tribal girl, allegedly sexually exploited by a man on the pretext of marriage, was found hanging from a tree in Dumka on Friday. The accused has been nabbed.

The minor’s mother alleged that her daughter was raped, killed and hanged from the tree in an area under Mufassil police station on Friday.

The police are waiting for an autopsy report to ascertain whether she was killed first and hanged from the tree to stage a suicide. The civil surgeon of Dumka has confirmed that the minor was 8-10 weeks pregnant.

The accused, identified as Arman Ansari, has been arrested. He works as a construction worker, Superintendent of Police Ambar Lakra told PTI. He was charged under IPC sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder) and provisions of the SC/ST Act and POCSO Act, Lakra said.

Here are the top points in the case:

• “I have come to Dumka to probe two cases. The Jharkhand government was told about the visit much in advance. A team of NCPRC wanted to meet the family of the girl who was hanged after rape. The collector had give consent After coming to the village, however, her parents could not be found,” the chairperson of NCPCR tweeted. Neighbours told the NCPCR team that someone whisked them away in car, Kanoongo stated.

• CNN-News18 has learnt that it was not the administration that stopped Kanoongo, rather the locals, who later allowed him to proceed upon learning his identity. After reaching family’s house, Kanoongo found that police had taken away the family to some unknown place so that he couldn’t meet him.

The NCPCR chief has asked DC to bring the family and let them meet him.

• NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo told CNN-News 18 that he is being stopped by local administration from meeting the family of victim tribal girl in Dumka.

• Security personnel have been deployed in Dumka amid a bandh in Dumka.

• Locals have announced a shut down in Dumka and the entire Santhal Pargana in protest against the minor’s killing.

• The chief of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) will visit Dumka on Monday and meet the victim’s family and other officials.

• Superintendent of police Amber Lakra told ANI that an investigation is on. The accused, identified as Arman Ansari, has been arrested and police were trying to file a chargesheet as soon as possible, the SP added on Sunday.

• Responding to questions on the event, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Sunday evening said “Incidents happen. Where do they not occur?”

His remarks were condemned by several people including CPI leader Annie Raja, who questioned “why he is in the CM post?”

• The girl used to live with her aunt in Dumka, where she got into a relationship with Ansari. When she asked Ansari to marry her, he killed her, the sources said. She was later found pregnant by the doctors.

• BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slammed the Soren government saying that “underage Dalit and tribal girls are being exploited and the government is sleeping”, as per ANI.

• The incident came days after a 16-year-old succumbed to her injuries on August 28 after being set on fire by a man. The accused, identified as Shahrukh, had allegedly poured petrol on the teenager from outside the window of her room when she was sleeping and set her on fire on August 23. The teenager had reportedly spurned his advances.

(With agency inputs)

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