Police to submit supplementary chargesheet in Kathua rape-and-murder case

The crime branch which is investigating the alleged rape and killing of a minor girl in Kathua district, is in the process of submitting a supplementary charge sheet in the case, a spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Police said today.

However, the spokesperson did not mention the date when the supplementary charge sheet would be filed.

The crime branch submitted a charge sheet in the case against seven of the eight accused in the case at a court in Kathua on April 9, amid protest by local lawyers. The next day it filed a separate charge sheet against another accused, who was earlier said to be a juvenile.

"After completion of all legal formalities of investigation, a charge sheet was produced in the competent court of law and the investigating agency is in the process of submitting a supplementary charge sheet, the spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement here.

He also said there are no truth in reports that the girl was not subjected to rape before her killing.

"On the strength of opinion furnished by medical experts, it has been confirmed that the victim was found subjected to sexual assault by the accused, the spokesperson said, adding the medical expert has also opined that the hymen of the victim was not found intact.

On the basis of medical opinion, Section 376 (D) Ranbir Penal Code was added in the case. Medical opinion has established beyond doubt that the victim was held in captivity and administered sedatives and her cause of death was asphyxia leading to cardio pulmonary arrest, he said.

The body of the girl was recovered from a forest in the district on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the crime branch of the state police which formed a Special Investigation Team and arrested eight people including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destruction of evidence.