Chatra: Minor girl allegedly gang raped & burnt alive. Relative says, 'Panchayat said that settle the matter by mak… https://t.co/k4NQZ5uAoF — ANI (@ANI) 1525489144000

Jharkhand

RANCHI: Fourteen accused were arrested by the police on Saturday in the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Chatra district 's Rajatenduwa village. Four accused are still at large.The accused forcibly took the minor girl, who was on her way to attend a relative's marriage ceremony, to a nearby forest and raped her.IGP Ashish Batra said, "A local village panchayat was convened which found the accused guilty. The village leaders then levied a Rs 50,000 fine on the culprits. Irked by the verdict, the accused got into an altercation with the panchayat members and the family members of the girl. Later, they rushed to the girl's house and set it ablaze. The girl was burned to death in the fire."The accused subsequently fled the village. Police are conducting raids to nab those who are still absconding.Chief Minister Raghubar Das, meanwhile, strongly condemned the incident. In a statement, Das said he was shocked over the gruesome incident and added that there was no place in the society for such ghastly acts.Asserting that the culprits would not be spared, the chief minister ordered the officials to arrest those involved in the incident and initiate stringent action against them.