The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two cases on the orders of High Court of Himachal Pradesh, and taken over the investigation of Rape and Murder of a minor girl and custodial death of one of the accused arrested by Local Police.
Following the massive statewide protest for allegedly mishandling the case by the state police and reportedly covering up to protect the main culprits and custodial killing of one of accused, the Himachal Pradesh High Court entrusted the case to the CBI.
The CBI, as per High Court orders, has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Superintendent of Police and an Addl. SP & a Dy. SP and taken over the investigation of both the cases.
On July 4, a minor girl went missing on her way back home. Her parents lodged a missing complaint with the police and after a search, her body was recovered from Halaila forests on July 6 morning.
To expedite the investigation, the state government had constituted a SIT and within two days claimed of solving case with arresting 6 accused including two Nepali nationals. Alleging cover up from the police, locals marched on to the road and protested against the police blaming it for mishandling the case and protecting high profile culprits. Angry protesters also staged protest at the Theog, damaged public properties and even pelted stone at the Theog police station. The situation gone out of hand when one of arrested accused died in Police custody at Kotkhai Police Station, and angry locals then staged a protest at Kotkhai and even burned Kotkhai police station.
With the mounting pressure from the angry locals the administration transferred police rank in the district. Blaming Congress led state government for protecting real culprits, the state BJP staged statewide protest and even marched to the state secretariat.
Meanwhile, in a bid to mollify angry protesters, the state Government has upgraded Government Middle School, Dhar Tarpunoo (Tali) to senior secondary. Naming the school as Priyanka Damseth Memorial Government Senior Secondary School, Dhar Tarpunoo (Tali), and the government has decided to make the school functional immediately with nine posts of teaching staff. These include post of Principal, five PGTs, one post each of TGT (Art), TGT (Medical) and Language Teacher.
