Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police has ruled out honour killing angle in the death of a minor girl in Dumuduma Phase-II of Khandagiri area and claimed that she might have committed suicide.
The girl, a Class 10 student, was found hanging to a tree with her hands tied and mouth gagged in the backyard of her house last night.
“Though some media reports are claiming it to be a case of honour killing, prima facie and circumstantial evidence state that she committed suicide,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash.
He said the family members of the girl lodged a complaint alleging that she was murdered following which a case has been registered under Section 302 of IPC.
“Further investigation into the case is underway. We can establish the exact cause of her death after receiving the post-mortem report and record of statements,” he added.
According to the version of the family members, they found the body of the girl hanging to the tree in the backyard of their house and rushed her to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar where doctors pronounced her dead. They alleged that she might have been killed by some miscreants.
Meanwhile, members of a local club nabbed a youth who was suspiciously roaming near the spot where the body of the girl was found hanging and later handed him over to police.
Social activist Namrata Chaddha said, “At a time when utmost priority is being given to save lives of people from coronavirus, the death of the minor girl is really unfortunate. Any kind of violence against women and girls in the society is shocking and I am hopeful that police will investigate the case with utmost seriousness.”
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)