Police probe into killing of minor girl in Odisha severely flawed with glaring defects,says NCPCR

The police probe into the kidnap-and-murder case of a minor girl in Odisha was "severely flawed" with "glaring defects", apex child rights body NCPCR said on Saturday, demanding disciplinary action against the investigating officers.

The five-year-old girl went missing while playing in front of her house at Jadupur village of Nayagarh district on July 14 and her skeletal remains were found on July 23.

In a statement, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said it had issued letters to the superintendent of police (SP) and district magistrate (DM) of Nayagarh for an inquiry in the case and asked them to provide the commission with certain documents such as the age proof of the victim and a copy of the FIR.

After perusing the facts submitted by the SP and the DM in the matter vide an action-taken report (ATR) and subsequently, in the summons hearing of the NCPCR, the panel noted that the probe conducted by the "police authorities is severely flawed with glaring defects, which has caused an untoward delay in the investigation of this serious incident of murder of a minor girl".

Therefore, in view of the erroneous investigation conducted by the police authorities in this serious incident, the commission said it recommends disciplinary action against the investigating officers in the matter and "requests your good offices to recommend for a thorough investigation of this incident by a central agency".

"The detailed inquiry report of NCPCR in this matter with the observations and recommendations of NCPCR has been submitted to the Chief Secretary of Odisha with a copy to the Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs," the panel said. 

(IMAGE CREDITS:PTI)