Kathua rape-murder case: The Delhi lab examined 14 packets of evidence — containing vaginal smear, hair strands, blood samples of four accused, viscera of the girl, the girl’s frock and salwar, simple clay, and bloodstained clay. (Express Photo) Kathua rape-murder case: The Delhi lab examined 14 packets of evidence — containing vaginal smear, hair strands, blood samples of four accused, viscera of the girl, the girl’s frock and salwar, simple clay, and bloodstained clay. (Express Photo)

The Delhi Forensic Science Laboratory, which was contacted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police probing the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, has analysed 14 samples, including hair strands and clothes, of the girl.

“One of the parcels we were sent had two hair strands with roots. The fact that the hair strands had roots was important as DNA identification requires the root. One of the hair strand pins the accused, the second matched with that of the girl. Also, a spot of blood was found on the frill of her frock. They had destroyed the cloth by washing it with detergent, but a droplet was there. That was an incidental discovery. We received the first lot of evidences on March 1 and the second on March 14. Around 14 parcels were received in total,” said a senior Home Department official.

The Delhi lab examined 14 packets of evidence — containing vaginal smear, hair strands, blood samples of four accused, viscera of the girl, the girl’s frock and salwar, simple clay, and bloodstained clay.

(An earlier version of this report inaccurately included vaginal swab in the list of samples that matched the DNA of the accused.)

“In February, the day our assistance was sought, we decided to take it (the case) up within half an hour. We felt the matter was sensitive. So, we took the decision in 30 minutes. FSL usually resists taking up outstation cases as they have to devote entire teams for a single case. It is already overburdened. But we took a stand that we have to take it up,” the official said. A team of eight members was formed from the FSL’s DNA department to examine the evidence.

The Zonal Headquarters Crime Branch Jammu, meanwhile, issued a statement saying, “…it is to place on record that on the strength of opinion furnished by medical experts, it has been confirmed that the rape victim was found subjected to sexual assault by the accused. The medical expert has also opined that the hymen of the victim was not found intact… In addition to this, medical opinion has established beyond doubt that the victim was held in captivity and administered sedatives and her cause of death was asphyxia leading to a cardio pulmonary arrest.”

Sources in the Crime Branch told The Indian Express that the report of the Delhi Forensic Science lab has confirmed that the hair strand belonged to the eight-year-old girl while other strand is of the accused. The hair strand of the girl was recovered from Devasthan, while the hair strand of the accused was found at the spot where the dead body was recovered, sources said. Besides the FSL report also mentioned a blood spot found on the dress of the eight year old, sources said.

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