Patna/Jamui, March 27: In an incident that sent shivers down the spine, road robbers gang-raped and shot dead a woman in her 30s after relieving her family members of cash and belongings while they were on way to Jamui after a picnic trip on Sunday evening. Worse, policemen took 12 hours to lodge an FIR as they allegedly fought over the jurisdiction of the place of occurrence.
The incident occurred at the tri-junction of Jamui, Sheikhpura and Lakhisarai districts, 200km from Patna, when Naresh Barnwal, a businessman based in Dhanbad, along with his wife and child and wife's brother, wife and child was returning after visiting tourist spots in Rajgir and Nalanda on his car.
They were on way to Jamui where his wife's 'mausi', or mother's sister, stayed.
Reports reaching state police HQ said the Barnwals were intercepted by six armed criminals who had put up boulders on the road near Hansapur village under the Karandeh police station of Sheikhpura district. They snatched the cash, ornaments, cellphones and other belongings of the Barnwals and pulled Naresh's wife out of the vehicle. They forced her to walk with them at gunpoint for some distance, gang-raped and shot at her before escaping.
Wailing family members scouted for the victim and took her to the Jamui sadar hospital, 50km away, where she was declared 'brought dead'.
Since the robbery took place at a spot that fell under Sheikhpura district; the gang rape at a spot in Lakhisarai district and the death was confirmed in Jamui district, cops at the three police stations concerned made the wailing Barnwals to run in circles - from Jamui to Sheikhpura and then to Lakhisarai.
What added to their woes was the fact that the SPs of Sheikhpura and Lakhisarai had relinquished the charge following a police reshuffle notified on Saturday.
It was only after the new incumbent, Premlata, joined as Lakhisarai SP on Monday and visited the spot along with new Sheikhpura SP Anusuiya Rana Singh Sahu that the FIR was lodged at the Halsi police station in Lakhisarai around 9am.
DGP Abhayanand said doctors performing autopsy informally told the local sub-inspector there were no signs of rape on the body. "However, we will wait for the autopsy report before reaching a conclusion," he said and added a team of forensic experts had been sent from Patna for scientific examination of the spot.
Sources said police have seized a cellphone from the spot. However, it was not examined till reports last came in on Monday evening.
Comments
Add new comment