Jalandhar Gripped by Horror as Minor Girl is Murdered
The city of Jalandhar is reeling from a horrific crime after a 13-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her friend's father. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked public outrage and led to the arrest of a 48-year-old man. The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused under murder charges and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, with sexual assault being suspected.
Negligent Police Search and Public Intervention
The tragedy unfolded when the minor girl left her home around 4 pm on Saturday to visit a friend. When she failed to return, her worried family began a frantic search. Their efforts, however, proved futile. It was the local residents who took the initiative to examine CCTV footage from the area. The cameras captured the girl walking through a nearby lane at approximately 4:02 pm and, critically, entering the house of the accused just three minutes later at 4:05 pm. She was never seen leaving the premises.
This discovery raised immediate alarm, and the locals alerted the police. A team, led by an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), arrived at the scene. In a move that would later be deemed grossly negligent, the ASI entered the accused's house for an inspection but emerged claiming the girl was not inside. His statement angered the gathered crowd and cast serious doubt on the police's diligence.
During this time, locals also managed to contact the accused's wife, who was in Ludhiana with their daughter. She informed them that the house had been locked from the inside and refused to believe her husband could be involved. With frustration mounting over the perceived inadequate police search, several residents took matters into their own hands and forced their way into the house.
Body Discovered, Accused Thrashed by Mob
The public's worst fears were confirmed when the residents conducted their own search. A short while later, the girl's body was found stuffed inside the bathroom of the house. The discovery triggered chaos and anger in the neighbourhood. A senior police officer stated that residents alleged the girl had been sexually assaulted before being murdered.
The situation escalated rapidly as an enraged crowd caught hold of the accused and began thrashing him in full view of the police. Even as the police took him into custody, the mob continued to beat him while he was being escorted out. Stones were pelted at his house, and the crowd began shouting slogans against the Punjab government. Some individuals climbed onto police vehicles in an attempt to prevent the accused from being taken away.
Senior police officers reached the locality around 11 pm and worked to pacify the volatile crowd. The police eventually managed to rescue the injured accused and shift him to a hospital for treatment.
Aftermath and Official Action
In the wake of the incident and the public fury over the initial botched investigation, the police have taken disciplinary action. The Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) who conducted the first search has been suspended for alleged negligence in examining the crime scene. The 48-year-old accused remains in custody, facing serious charges that underscore the brutality of the crime that has left a community in mourning and raised serious questions about police protocol.
