Jharkhand: A 14-year-old tribal girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man on the pretext of marriage, was found hanging from a tree in Jharkhand’s Dumka district, police said on Saturday.
The minor’s mother alleged that her daughter was raped and murdered and hanged from a tree in an area of Mufassil police station area on Friday.
“The accused has been identified as Armaan Ansari, who has been arrested. He works as a construction worker,” Superintendent of Police Amber Lakra told PTI.
Lakra said he has been charged under IPC sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder) and provisions of the SC/ST Act and the POCSO Act.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has expressed grief over the incident.
He said, “I am deeply saddened by the Dumka incident. The accused has been arrested. I have directed the Dumka police to take strict legal steps to ensure justice (to the victim’s family). God bless the departed soul. And give strength to the family. The bereaved family to bear this critical time,” Soren tweeted.
Senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi claimed in a Twitter post that the girl was hanged after being raped by the accused.
The former chief minister tweeted: “Who are you saving? Have some Shame! Whatever you and your police hide, we will get justice.”
Attacking Soren, BJP National Vice President and another former Chief Minister Raghubar Das said in a Twitter post, “In Jharkhand, pay attention when you get time from resort politics.
Amid confusion over retaining Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an MLA, 32 MLAs of the ruling UPA alliance were taken to a resort in Raipur, the capital of Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, on August 30.
JMM spokesperson Supriya Bhattacharya said the party would give its reaction on the death of the tribal girl on Sunday.
The incident happened after an incident on August 23, when a man, identified as Shahrukh, allegedly poured petrol on a 16-year-old girl outside the window of her room while she was sleeping and set her on fire. The teenager, who had allegedly turned down his advances, succumbed to his injuries on August 28.
On August 28, a 15-year-old tribal girl was allegedly raped by a 26-year-old man after barging into her house in Ranchi.
The accused in both the cases have been arrested.
Read also | Half-burnt body of woman found in Jharkhand’s Dumka, investigation underway