Jharkhand murder: Fresh section under POSCO added against accused

In a major development in the Dumka girl death case, the police have confirmed the deceased as being a minor and further added Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act charges in the matter. Earlier, the girl’s age was mentioned as 19 years in her recorded statement by the police.

As reported, the Dumka Police while correcting the age of the deceased to 15 years has added Sections of the POCSO Act in the case and led the investigation in the same direction.

Notably, this came just a day after the Jharkhand Child Welfare Committee in its report claimed that the deceased was 15 years old and thus charges must be added under the POCSO Act in the concerned FIR.

The POCSO Act provides stringent punishment to those engaging in sexual crimes against children along with the death penalty in cases of aggravated sexual assault.

Meanwhile, The National Commission for Women yesterday sought a report from the Jharkhand director general of police on the death of the girl.

A team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is also scheduled to visit Dumka on September 4.

Let me remind our viewers that, the case pertains to the death of a school girl who was set on fire in the Dumka district of Jharkhand on August 23 while she was sleeping. She later succumbed to her injuries on August 29.

While two accused including the attacker have been arrested by the police, the Jharkhand High Court also took Suo Motu cognizance of the case and has ordered the Director General of Police to file a report.