CUTTACK: The man accused of rape and murder of a six-year-old girl allegedly attempted suicide inside Salepur Sub Jail. Police said the accused, Mohammad Mustaque (25), reportedly tried to kill himself with the help of a towel in the toilet of the sub-jail on Tuesday evening, a day after the minor victim succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment in the SCB Medical College and Hospital here.
Police sources said, Mustaque had gone to ease himself and when he did not come out of the washroom for a long time, other prisoners suspected something wrong and on going to the toilet, they found Mustaque strangling himself with a towel. They alerted the jail staff, who rushed to the spot and thwarted the suicide attempt. The authorities later shifted Mustaque to Cell No. 4 to maintain strict vigil on him.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Salepur Sub Jail has lodged a complaint with Salepur police seeking a probe into the incident. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case and initiated a probe.
A team of police officials visited the jail campus on Wednesday and quizzed Mustaque. “Prima facie it appears to be a stunt by the accused to gain sympathy. A case has been registered against him under section 309 of IPC. Further investigation is on,” said Inspector-in-Charge of Salepur police station Debendra Kumar Mallik. He will be tried first under the amended Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act which allows courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping minors up to 12 years of age.
While the Crime Branch of police has designated it as a ‘Red Flag’ case, DG of Police Dr RP Sharma has directed the investigating officer to file chargesheet within 15 days.The minor girl, with head injuries, was rescued by villagers from the premises of Jagannathpur Nodal UP School on April 21 night. The accused had crushed her head with a stone after raping her leaving her seriously injured.
The girl succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital on April 29. Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the victim’s family and assured stringent punishment against the accused.
Trials
Mohammad Mustaque will be tried first under the amended POCSO Act, which allows courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping minors up to the age of 12
Crime Branch of police has designated it as a ‘Red Flag’ case
DG of Police had directed investigating officer to file chargesheet within 15 days
Chief Minister announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia for the victim’s family and stringent punishment for the accused