A year after the body of a 16-year-old girl, who was raped and killed in Kotkhai town in Shimla district, was found in a forest area, her father said today he was not satisfied with the CBI investigation into the case.
The girl, who later came to be known as "Gudiya", had gone missing on July 4 last year and allegedly raped and killed. Her body was found two days later in the Dandi forest area.
The incident had led to huge public anger in the region.
Her father today released a book - 'Gudiya-Unsuni Cheekh' (Unheard shrieks) - authored by Ashwani Sharma and Tanuja Thapta today. It narrates the incidents that happened after July 6, including the progress of the probe, public outcry, and arrests of the accused and custodial death of one of them.
He said it was impossible to believe that the heinous crime was committed by Anil alias Nilu alone. There are several questions and issues which remained unsolved and a fresh probe is needed to bare the truth and punish the real culprits, the father said.
It is possible that Nilu was instrumental in dumping the body but it is difficult to believe he had no accomplice, he said and alleged that influential people were involved in the crime.
Accusing the state police of derailing the probe, the father said how is it possible that the Special Investigation Team arrested six persons and made efforts to extract confession from them about the crime, simply to save a woodcutter (Charani).
One of the accused, Suraj, died in police custody and it is hard to believe the CBI theory that Nilu was the lone accused.
He said there was explanation regarding the missing sock and hair clips of the victim and how the photos of some suspects were posted on Facebook page of the then chief minister.
If the persons were innocent, why they did not file a defamation case, he asked.
"One year has passed and we are yet to come out of the shock and trauma and our only wish is that the culprits get capital punishment and soul of our daughter rest in peace," he said, adding that every minute "we wish that what had happened to Gudiya, should not have happened".
The authors of the book said they regret that the alleged rape of Gudiya and her cries have been lost in Dandi forests and the mystery has remained unsolved.
Nine policemen, including an IG-rank officer, were arrested in connection with the custodial death of Suraj, a Nepal national. They have been sent to judicial custody.
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