Murder of 9-year-old girl shocks Puducherry, protesters call for crackdown on drugs
Police officers said that apart from the two suspects arrested, five more are in custody and their role in the case is being probed.
3 min read
Puducherry Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan pays her last respects to a nine-year-old who was allegedly murdered, in Puducherry. (PTI)Protests have erupted in Puducherry after the discovery of a nine-year-old girl’s body, in a drain near her house three days after she had been reported missing, led to a wave of public anger in the Union Territory. Police have arrested two people in connection with the case and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed.
The girl was reported missing last Saturday (March 2), and on Tuesday, her body was discovered with her limbs tied and wrapped in cloth. Soon after, police arrested 56-year-old Vivekanandan and 19-year-old Karunas (alias Kakka) under charges of murder, kidnapping, and violations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and SC/ST Acts. An SIT, spearheaded by Senior Superintendent of Police Kalaivanan, was also formed.
Police are still investigating the exact cause of death, with the post-mortem report from the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) pending.
Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam promised the victim’s family that a thorough investigation would be conducted, and added that the government has given top priority to the case. Director General of Police B Srinivas said further details would be released by the SIT soon.
Police officers said that apart from the two suspects arrested, five more are in custody and their role in the case is being probed. They did not provide further details.
The nature of the class 5 student’s murder, with initial reports suggesting sexual assault, has led to a wave of grief and anger among the public. There has also been speculation about the involvement of drug peddlers and addicts in the murder, prompting calls for a stringent crackdown on such activities.
Across Puducherry, people protested by blocking roads and demanding accountability from the police, whom they accused of inaction.
With concerns about the drug menace growing in Puducherry, the DMK and others in the INDIA bloc, as well as the AIADMK, called for a bandh in the UT on Friday to protest government inaction against drug trafficking. The deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at protest sites further inflamed tensions.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy announced compensation of Rs 20,00,000 to the victim’s family and gave assurances that perpetrators would face the maximum punishment.
Lieutenant Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan visited the girl’s family and reinforced the government’s promise of justice and the establishment of a fast-track court to expedite the legal process.
The victim’s body was cremated on Thursday after the postmortem.
You May Like
