Ranchi shutdown over girl's rape-murder has little impact

A shutdown called by various student organisations on Thursday demanding arrest of those involved in the gang rape and murder of a teenager last week had little impact here.

Although the shutdown supporters came out on roads shouting slogans in support of their demand, very few schools were closed and a large number of shops were also open.

Of late, Ranchi has witnessed a surge in rape cases. Until November this year, a total of 148 cases have been reported.

"The state government should hand over investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation as the state police has failed to identify the culprits.

"The Ranchi incident reminds one of the Nirbhaya case of 2012, which took place on the same date," said Rahul Kumar, a student participating in the shutdown, told IANS.

Four years after the December 16 brutal gang rape of Nirbhaya in Delhi, the engineering student was allegedly raped and burnt to death in state capital Ranchi.

According to police, the burnt body of the Third-Year engineering student was found in a house in Buty Basti area of Sadar police station of Ranchi.

The girl was first gang-raped by some people known to her and later burnt, police believe.

Ranchi police on Saturday formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the incident. It announced on Wednesday a Rs 1 lakh reward if anyone gives any information about the rape and murder.

Forensic experts, however, say much of the evidence was lost in the fire and the water sprayed by the locals to douse the flames.

--IANS

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