Assam: After SP, magistrate held in case of sexual assault-murder of minor; CM lauds CID
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a magistrate was arrested for "compromising his responsibility" in a case of sexual assault and murder of a 13-year-old girl in Darrang district.
The victim girl, who was working as a domestic help, was found dead in the house of her employer in June.
Besides the main accused who is a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, several other government employees the then superintendent of police, an additional SP, the officer in charge of the police station concerned and three doctors were already arrested in the case.
Addressing a press conference here, the chief minister appreciated the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for conducting the investigation in a highly professional and scientific manner.
"The magistrate was arrested today. The CID has already arrested the SP, Additional SP (of the district), the OC of Dhula police station and three doctors who had conducted the first post-mortem examination," he said on Friday.
Additional DGP (CID) A Y V Krishna said that the arrested government officials did not follow the norms and gave false reports to close the case as an incident of suicide.
The CID, which formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the case, had on Thursday stated that Ashirvad Hazarika, the local magistrate, was absconding.
Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, said that this case was very significant in the history of Assam Police as a fresh probe was started as per his instruction more than a month after the victim's last rites were performed.
"This is a rare case in which the body was exhumed and a second post-mortem examination was conducted. We were lucky that the victim was a Christian girl and her body was buried. The way the CID collected forensic and scientific evidence, the entire probe gave a new dimension to the investigation process in Assam Police," he said.
The chief minister lamented that the probe exposed a nexus involving the then SP, ASP, OC, magistrate and government doctors.
On Thursday, the suspended SP Raj Mohan Ray was arrested for allegedly taking Rs 2 lakh as a bribe to dilute the case, CID had said.
Ray had received the money through the then Officer-in-Charge of Dhula police station Utpal Borah who was arrested by the CID on October 31.
The rape and murder case led to outrage in the state. The chief minister visited the girl's family on August 12 following their allegations that the police displayed extreme dereliction of duty in collecting evidence.
The additional DGP (CID) told reporters that a detailed probe and evidence have established the accused men's offences of molestation, murder, destruction of evidence and attempt to rape under several sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.
"It was not a case of death by hanging. The accused hit hard on the girl's head and neck, and then strangulated her with a coconut coir rope after she threatened to tell his wife about the sexual assault," the officer said.
He also said that the CID consulted forensic experts and conducted DNA profiling of the main accused and it matched with the semen found on the undergarment of the victim.
In a detailed presentation, Krishna showed how the agency proceeded to unearth the case.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
