ranchi

Updated: Jan 13, 2018 22:31 IST

Ranchi: Pakur district police in Jharkhand arrested four people on Friday for the alleged gang rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl in revenge after the victim’s family did not vote for wife of one of the accused in the local body elections.

Police said victim went missing on January 8. The victim had left home to relieve herself at around 6 am on January 8.Later in the day, the girl’s father filed a missing person complaint with Littipara police station, around 400 km northeast of the state capital Ranchi. Her body was found in nearby jungles the next day.

Four people who were named in the FIR filed the after recovery of the body were arrested on Friday after an investigation, police said. Those arrested include Premlal Hansda, Samuel Hansda, Katthi Hansda and Sishu Hansda (the last three being siblings).

“Premlal Hansda’s wife had contested the panchayat election for the post of mukhiya. Premlal held lack of support from the victim’s family to be the primary reason for her defeat. In revenge, they kidnapped the girl and gang raped her. In order to conceal their crime, they hid her body in the Blewan forest after killing her,” Shailendra Burnwal, superintendent of police, Pakur.

The SP claimed the accused have confessed to their crime.

The victim’s family identified her body which was recovered from Belwan forest and her father named the four accused in the FIR, accusing them of revengeful act related to the election.

“All related evidences have been collected from the crime scene and the four have been booked under relevant sections of CrPc and Pocso Act,” the SP said.