The police department has appealed to the family and the JAC members to extend cooperation in the investigation and refrain from any form of agitation as there is good progress in investigation in connection with the case alleged sexual assault on a minor girl who later succumbed to her injuries.
A release by superintendent of police, Imphal West, K Meghchandra on Saturday stated the minor girl expired at the hospital on Thursday after receiving intense medical treatment. However, the post mortem examination of the body has not been conducted yet as no family member came forward to identify her, it stated.
The release added that further delay in post Mortem examination will hamper the investigation. At the initial and critical stage of investigation, the investigating team as well as the district police need to focus on collection of evidence, examination of important witnesses and to establish important links and leads, it stated.
Meghachandra also made an appeal to give any information that will help in the investigation of the case. The investigation of the case is strictly monitored by the chief Minister, who is holding the charge of home department, and the director general of Police, Manipur, it stated. Elected leaders, JAC members and civil voluntary associations also made best effort to arrest any suspects in connection with the case, the release added.
It stated that the investigation of the case has been handed over to a Special investigation Team (SIT) headed by additional SP, Investigative Unit for Crime Against Women (IUCAW), Rattana Ngasepam. The investigation is in good progress and senior officers are supervising the investigation on a daily basis. As the present case attracts sections under POCSO, best effort will be made to submit a charge sheet of the ease within two months, it added.
The release also stated that on September 2, Women Police Station, lmphal West District received a report that a minor girl had gone out from her house on September 1 at about 8 pm and she did not return.
The family members searched for her at night but she was not found after which they thought that the minor girl may have eloped. However, the next morning, some people who went to the field saw the minor girl and reported that she was found lying unconscious with blood stains and injury on her body and it was suspected that the girl was sexually assaulted, the release added.
On receiving the information a case was registered at Women Police Station, lmphal West and investigation started immediately. The girl was evacuated to the Hospital by her family and people from the locality.
Senior officers including DIGP Range -1, superintendent of police and additional SPs of Imphal West rushed to the spot and supervised the investigation and a team of Forensic Science also conducted spot examination.
It further stated that on examination of some witnesses, it was revealed that one individual went with the girl at night towards the spot on September 1. It was further revealed that three more three individuals were also seen a little distance away from the spot that night.
Hectic efforts were made to identify and arrest the suspected persons, after which the individual who was seen going along with the victim girl was arrested on September 2.
On September 3, three other individuals who were reportedly seen near the spot on the night of September 1 were handed over to the police station after a day-long search. On their examination some important leads in the investigation were established. All the four individuals have been remanded in police custody till September 9, the release added.
