Minor rape victim’s father murdered by absconding accused

Rajkot: A 40-year-old man was hacked to death at Khakhadabela village in Paddhari taluka of Rajkot district on Tuesday night, allegedly by two of the three men he had accused of raping his minor daughter in 2024.

Paddhari police registered a case of murder against Yashpalsinh Jadeja, Mahendrasinh Jadeja and unidentified persons.

Rajkot Rural in-charge superintendent of police Simran Bhardwaj said the victim was going from Rajkot city to Khakhadabela village when the accused allegedly intercepted his vehicle.

Police said the assailants rammed their vehicle into the victim’s car and then attacked him with bladed weapons before fleeing.

After the killing, teams from Paddhari police station and the local crime branch launched a search for the accused. The victim’s body was sent for a postmortem and forensic teams collected evidence from the spot.

Sources in the police said the murder may be linked to a rape case registered in 2024.

Sources said the deceased had earlier filed a complaint at Paddhari police station against Mahendrasinh Jadeja, Yashpalsinh Jadeja and Ajaysinh Jadeja under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, for raping his minor daughter.

Police had arrested Ajaysinh Jadeja, but Mahendrasinh and Yashpalsinh remained absconding.

Investigators suspect the accused were pressuring the complainant to withdraw or settle the case and plotted the murder when he refused.

Police sources said after the alleged rape in 2024, the girl had attempted suicide. Her father then approached police and lodged the FIR.

Officials have not issued a formal statement confirming the motive, but investigators are examining links between the killing and the pending Pocso case.

The incident raises questions about the failure to arrest the accused persons in the earlier case despite the FIR having been registered in April 2024. Local sources said timely action against the accused could have prevented the murder.

Police said further investigation is underway.