New Delhi, March 30 Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi has described the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district as "heartbreaking" and has demanded the immediate arrest and strict punishment of those responsible.
Devi said she met the victim's family, offered her condolences and assured them that every possible effort would be made to secure justice.
"The brutality and murder of a 12-year-old innocent girl is extremely tragic, heartbreaking, and a disgrace to humanity," Devi tweeted after meeting the victim's family on Sunday.
"The culprits should be arrested as soon as possible and given strict punishment so that such inhumane incidents are not repeated in the future," the minister said.
She also criticised the state government, saying, "The saddest part is that despite such a major incident, neither the chief minister nor any minister of the government has taken note of the victim's family."
Jharkhand DGP Tadasha Mishra on Sunday said a three-member SIT has been constituted for a swift probe into the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl at Bishnugarh in Hazaribag.
The special investigation team (SIT) is headed by IPS probationer Shubham Bhausaheb and includes Bishnugarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer Baijnath Prasad and Bishnugarh police station officer-in-charge Sapan Mahatha, who is also the investigation officer in the case.
"In view of the gravity of the case, the SIT has been formed and directed to submit its report to me within a week. The SIT will look into all angles during its investigation. We are awaiting the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Ranchi report and also the autopsy report of the case," the DGP said.
The SIT is mandated to submit a progress report, along with details regarding the actions taken thus far, to the DGP within a week.
According to police, the girl had gone with her mother to watch the 'Mangla' procession, a procession taken out as part of Ram Navami rituals, at her native village in Kusumba within Bishnugarh police station limits on the night of March 24.
Her family alleged in the FIR that she was abducted and her body was found on March 25 (Wednesday) at a field in her village.