Ranchi: As many as 14 people have been arrested in the gangrape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, as per media reports. The girl was reportedly gang-raped and subsequently burnt to death in front of her family members on Friday. Six accused are still missing, a senior police officer told news agencies.
According to local media reports, the girl was abducted by four youths from near her house and raped. The family members had gone to attend a marriage. The incident took place in Rajakendua village under Itkhori police station in Chatra district, around 160 kilometres from state capital Ranchi.
The issue was raised in the village panchayat on Friday morning. The panchayat asked the accused to pay Rs 50,000 to the victim to settle the matter.
The panchayat had also ordered the accused to do 100 sit-ups before it, police sources said.
Enraged over the panchayat diktat, the youths went to the house of the girl and thrashed the family members and burnt her to death. The victim’s family members have filed a case at the Itkhori police station.
Inspector General of Police, Ashish Batra,in an interaction with newspersons said “After the rape, a local village panchayat was convened and the community leaders found the accused youths guilty and levied a fine on them. Immediately after the panchayat’s verdict, the accused got into an altercation with the panchayat members and the family members of the girl. They rushed to the girl’s house and set it ablaze. The girl was burnt to death in the incident.” The district administration has announced financial support of Rs 2.5 lakh to the victim’s family, reported agencies.