Will ensure stern punishment to accused in Una case: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said that stern punishment would be ensured for the guilty in the gruesome murder of a fifteen-year-old girl at Amb in Una district recently.

A newspaper hawker, identified as Asif Mohammad, was arrested in the case. It is alleged that he tried to rape the teenager when she was alone at her house and slit her throat after she resisted.

Una police arrested the accused on April seven after registering a first information report (FIR) under section 302 (murder) on April 5.

Earlier on Monday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Una district president Nirmal Thakur demanded that POCSO Act should also be included in the FIR registered in this regard.

Angry locals and right-wing activists had on Friday gathered outside the Amb police station demanding that the accused be handed over to them or authorities should ensure capital punishment for him.

VHP' Nirmal Thakur told reporters that the state government should ensure a time-bound decision through day-to-day hearing in a fast-track court.

The chief minister said that Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu visited the spot on Sunday to take stock of the situation.

Kundu constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Vimukt Ranjan to investigate if the accused was involved in such unsolved cases in the past, a police spokesperson said.

The other members of the SIT are SP-Cyber Crime Rohit Malpani, SP Una Arjit Sen Thakur and SP CID-Crime Virender Kalia, he said adding that the SIT was directed to take up the investigation in this case immediately.

The chief minister said that he had spoken to the victim's father on Sunday and expressed his heartfelt condolences. He said that he also assured the family of all possible help from the state government.

According to the police, the weapon used for the murder was recovered. People in the area and the call records also confirmed the presence of the accused in the area on that day.

The Amb Bar Association has announced that no member would fight his case as the crime was very grave.