Surat Police strenuously investigating alleged rape case: Gujarat Home Minister

Gujarat Home Minister P.S. Jadeja on Monday said police in Surat is actively and strenously investigating the alleged rape and murder of a minor and added that everything was being done as per law to get to the bottom of the matter.

"We condemn the incident and have directed police to carry out strenuous investigations in the matter," he said.

"The police are yet to receive any information on the family of the girl. We have printed posters to help with the same," Jadeja added.

Suggesting that the murdered girl may also be a native of Odisha, Home Minister Jadeja revealed that the Gujarat government has contacted Odisha's Director General of Police for any relevant information related to the case. He also informed that Gujarat and Surat Police has cross-checked over 8000 photographs of missing girls so far.

"We have also been tracking all movements on nearby roads through CCTV footage and are listening to phone calls made in the area to see if anyone was or is talking about the matter," Jadeja informed.

"The Crime Branch of the Surat Police is fully dedicated to finding and arresting all criminals who are responsible. It is a grave situation; whenever such atrocities happen against women or minor girls, it is grave," he said.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Surat, R.R. Sarvaiya, released a statement today in which he stated that a case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered by the police.

Sarvaiya said in his statement that the body of the unidentified girl, who seemed to be in the 9-13 years age group, was found in a cricket ground in Pandesara area of the city.

Expressing criticism about the recent hate messages appearing on social media in relation to the case, Sarvaiya said, "Despite the fact that the girl has not been identified, yet, hate messages are being propagated by some social media users, threatening to spoil the peaceful atmosphere in the state. We have identified those people and have filed a case under IPC 501 (1) (B)."

In his statement, Sarvaiya revealed that three individuals -- Irfan Anjum, Asmita Das (on Twitter) and Mohammad Sartaj Alam (on Facebook) had posted inflammatory and unverified information related to the alleged rape-cum-murder case, and therefore, they were being charged and investigated.