A minor girl’s charred remains were found in a coal furnace at a village in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara on Wednesday (2 August) evening. Two accused are believed to have raped her. Reuters (Representational Image)
The alleged gang-rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in the Bhilwara district has rocked Rajasthan. The minor girl’s charred remains were found in a charcoal furnace in a village on Wednesday (2 August) evening. The Rajasthan Police have so far booked 10 people, including four women, in connection with the case, reported news agency PTI.
The incident has spurred a political slugfest in the poll-bound state, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying to corner the Ashok Gehlot-led state government. According to Times of India (TOI), Rajasthan has recorded as many as 10 cases of sexual assault between 4 July and 3 August.
How did the Bhilwara incident come to light? What has the initial police probe revealed? Let’s understand.
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Bracelet, bones in furnace
The minor girl had left home to graze goats early on Wednesday morning, as per an NDTV report. However, when she did not return till the evening, her family and villagers launched a frantic search for her.
“We started looking for her in the afternoon when the cattle returned but my sister didn’t return with them,” the girl’s brother said, as per Hindustan Times (HT).
Around 10 pm, he saw smoke billowing from one of the charcoal furnaces (kilns) set up by those from a nomadic community, reported TOI. He grew suspicious and checked the furnace, noticing human bones, reported HT.
“During the rains, these kilns that use wood of babool trees are rarely lit by the people. The girl’s brother rummaged through the kiln with a stick and sifted through the charred items. He found a bracelet and recognised it as that of his sister,” a police official told TOI on condition of anonymity.
The police reached the spot, along with FSL officials, and found some cloth pieces among the charred items. They also discovered the minor’s footwear near the furnace, reported TOI. “A DNA test will be conducted of the bone samples found at the furnace for further investigation,” Bhilwara police superintendent (SP) Adarsh Sindhu was quoted as saying by HT.
Five suspects were detained and being interrogated, the police said on Thursday.
A case of gang-rape along with sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act was also registered by the police.
10 booked in Bhilwara case
Speaking to reporters on Friday (4 August), the Rajasthan Police said some half-burnt body remains which are believed to be of the victim were recovered from a pond in the village, PTI reported.
According to Bhilwara SP Sidhu, some of the girl’s body parts were set alight in the furnace, while others were disposed of in a nearby pond to get rid of evidence.
“After investigating the case, we found that around 10 people were involved, of which six are male and four are female — two wives, one mother and one sister (of the accused). There is also a juvenile who has been detained. We have arrested four people and detained one person. The other accused are being tracked,” he told reporters, as per Indian Express.
Those arrested include Kalu Lal (25) and his brother Kanha Lal (21), Pappu (35) and Sanjay Kumar (20), reported TOI. The age of the detained minor is yet to be determined.
According to the Rajasthan police, Kanha and Kalu were allegedly involved in the gang rape. They said they are also investigating if the girl was alive when she was put into the furnace.
The police said the women helped in destroying the evidence. “As for the involvement of the women, we have learnt that when the girl was gang-raped and brought near the furnace, the women helped open it and light the fire. From the investigation so far, it appears that the women were not present during the gang-rape,” SP Sidhu was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
He also said that all efforts will be made to ensure the accused are awarded the death penalty in what he called the “rarest of the rare case”, reported PTI.
An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Kotri police station has also been suspended for alleged delay in action when informed that the girl was missing, as per TOI.
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BJP trains guns at Congress government
The BJP alleged on Thursday that Rajasthan has become the “rape capital” of India.
Calling for chief minister Gehlot’s resignation, Rajasthan BJP president CP Joshi said, “Such an incident would not have happened anywhere in the country. Rajasthan is being tarnished by such incidents.” Some state BJP leaders also visited the village.
VIDEO | “The CM (Ashok Gehlot) should resign. These kinds of incidents are regularly happening in Rajasthan,” says Rajasthan BJP president @cpjoshiBJP on Bhilwara incident. pic.twitter.com/rgPYWa2euG
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 3, 2023
BJP president JP Nadda on Friday formed a four-member committee of women MPs of the party to probe the Bhilwara incident. There was also a furore in Rajya Sabha, with the saffron party demanding a discussion on the law and order situation in Rajasthan.
As BJP lawmakers raised slogans of “Rajasthan pe charcha ho”, the Opposition countered by shouting “Manipur, Manipur” to discuss violence in the conflict-ridden state. The Upper House was then adjourned for the day following the uproar, reported Indian Express.
Rajasthan minister and Congress leader Dheeraj Gurjar, who visited Kotri on Thursday, said he would push for immediate compensation for the girl’s family. “I also demand the perpetrators of this heinous crime be hanged,” he said, as per HT.
With inputs from agencies