Into the shocking Kunduli gang rape case in Odisha, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) kicked off its investigation on Monday. The three-member team asked the parents of the rape victim about the incident from where they hope to get a lead for the future course of their investigation.
On October 10, 2017, a schoolgirl alleged of being raped by four persons in camouflage attire while she was on her way home from Kunduli after school, in Koraput district. As the girl’s description brought security personnel under question, that became an added sensitive case. At first, the local police investigated the case, but it refused to find anything as proof of any sexual act on the girl. A judicial probe and a crime- branch probe took place subsequently, and both came up with reports similar to that of the local police.
On 22 January 2018, the girl died, allegedly a suicide. The development aroused strong reactions across Odisha. Victim’s mother approached the High Court seeking CBI investigation into the case. And, the High Court directed the state government to form an SIT to take up the case. The team comprising of DIG Himanshu Lal, DIG Satyabrata Bhoi, and DIG Saffin Mohammad has started the investigation formally on Monday.
However, the parents of the victim do not seem to have confidence in the SIT. But they hope their daughter would get justice. Talking to the media, the victim’s mother said that they wanted justice. They would wait for that, said the mother adding, I will commit suicide if justice is not meted to us.
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