Dalit teen girl's death: Case transferred to CID by Guj DGP

The case of a Dalit teen found hanging from a tree on January 5 in Gujarat's Aravalli district has been transferred to the CID (Crime), an official said on Saturday.

The 19-year-old girl had gone missing after she left for Modasa town on January 1 and was found hanging from a tree near her native Sayra village on January 5 after which an FIR was filed on January 7. While three people were arrested and charged with gang-rape and murder, the post mortem had not confirmed rape, and has stated that "death was due to asphyxiation".

READ: 4-year-old Dalit Girl Raped In UP's Banda

On Saturday, Director General of Police Shivanand Jha formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under DIG (Crime and Railways) Gautam Parmar to probe the case, a government release informed. The complainant Mahesh Rathod has alleged that Modasa town police inspector NK Rabari had delayed in registering an FIR and considering the seriousness of the crime, the DGP had formed the SIT, it added.

The release said Inspector Rabari has been suspended for negligence of duty. The victim's kin have alleged she was kidnapped on January 1 but Modasa police refused to take a missing person complaint when she did not return the next day.

They also alleged the FIR was filed on January 7, two days after she was found hanging from a tree. Dalit community members had staged demonstrations against what they claimed was deliberate delay on part of the police to register a case and start probe. Forensic experts have collected samples for testing to confirm if the teen was raped or not, officials said, and a report was awaited.

READ: Dalit Woman Found Hanging From Tree, 3 Held For Rape, Murder