Hazaribag (Jharkhand), March 29 Jharkhand DGP Tadasha Mishra on Sunday said that a three-member SIT has been constituted to conduct a swift investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Bishnugarh, 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 investigating officer in the case.
"In view of the seriousness of the case, the SIT has been formed and directed to submit its report to me within a week. The SIT will examine all aspects during its investigation. We are awaiting the report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Ranchi, as well as 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.
Hazaribag SP Anjani Anjan said that a woman sub-inspector has also been deputed to assist the SIT.
"We are hopeful of apprehending the culprits. It is too early to draw conclusions before the post-mortem examination report. Prima facie, it does not appear to be a case of sexual assault," he added.
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.
On Sunday evening, BJP Hazaribag MLA Pradeep Prasad participated in a torchlight procession in protest against alleged police failure to arrest the culprits.
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi, who represents the Koderma constituency in the Lok Sabha, met the family members of the victim in Bishnugarh.