Kunduli Gang Rape & Suicide: SIT Meets Family Members

Koraput: The three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Orissa High Court to probe the alleged gang rape and suicide of a minor girl in Kunduli area of Koraput district in 2017, held its first-ever meeting today with the family members of the deceased.

The meeting was held by the team comprising South Western Range DIG (Koraput) Shefeen Ahmed K, Southern Range DIG (Berhampur) Satyabrata Bhoi and Northern Range DIG (Sambalpur) Himanshu Lal.

According to sources, the team held discussions with the victim’s mother, brother and aunt, who reportedly expressed their resentment over delay in getting justice. The DIGs also questioned the then IIC of Pottangi Police Station, Dev Kumar Gomango in connection with the case.

“I want justice. Like my daughter died without justice, I will also die the same way if justice is denied,” said the mother of the minor girl after the meeting.

“We don’t believe in SIT investigation. I hope we get justice soon be it through SIT, CBI or the Crime Branch,” said the brother of the deceased girl.

Earlier on November 18, a division bench of Orissa HC including Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra had ordered a probe by the SIT after the State Government informed the court that the Crime Branch had closed the investigation into the case and submitted a report in the trial court.

The court has also directed the SIT to thoroughly conduct the probe and posted the next hearing on December 16, 2019.

It may be noted that the HC had directed the same while hearing the petition filed by the victim’s mother seeking CBI probe into the alleged gang rape of the minor girl. However, the HC ordered an SIT investigation.

The 14-year-old Class IX girl of Kunduli area in the district was allegedly raped by four ‘men in camouflage uniform’ while she was returning home from market on October 10, 2017. Later, the girl committed suicide by hanging herself on January 22, 2018.

CM Naveen Patnaik had ordered a judicial probe into the incident on December 26, 2017.