Mother, lover, ‘ojha’ held for girl’s brutal assault, murder

Hazaribag: A week after a 12-year-old missing girl’s battered body was found in Hazaribag district, the mother of the deceased, her lover, and an ‘ojha’ were arrested under POCSO Act on charges of sexual assault and murder of the minor as part of occult rituals. The post-mortem report revealed that a bamboo stick was inserted into the victim’s private parts after she was strangulated to death, SP Anjani Anjan said.

“However, it has also been established that no rape took place,” the SP further said.

The arrested accused were identified as the girl’s mother Pushpa Devi (35), her lover Ramesh (45), and self-styled ‘bhagtin’ or ‘ojha’ Shila Devi (55), police added. (names of all the accused have been changed)

Pushpa lodged an FIR with the local police after her daughter went missing from a Ram Navami procession on March 24, alleging some villagers of rape and murder. The incident triggered widespread outrage and led to political slugfest on the issue. A special investigation team (SIT) was set up on March 26 under IPS (trainee) Shubham Bhausaheb Nagaragojey. DC Shashi Prakash Singh, DGP Tadasha Mishra, DIG Anjani Jha, and the SP monitored the probe. DGP Mishra visited Hazaribag on April 1.

Detailing the case, SP Anjan said, “Pushpa has been in contact with Shila for around a year over the physical and mental health issues of her younger son besides a land dispute. Shila allegedly told her that her minor son was under the influence of ‘bad spirits’ and that her problems could be resolved by sacrificing a virgin girl.”

“Pushpa, on the evening of March 24, took her daughter to Shila’s house, where a ritual was performed and she was asked to return later. Hence, Pushpa returned to the site around 9:30 pm with the victim after attending the Mangla Julus procession. Ramesh, who was in a relationship with Pushpa for around a decade, joined them by scaling the boundary wall of Shila’s house,” he further stated.

SP Anjan said, “After conducting additional rituals at a temple built on Shila’s residential premises, the three took the minor girl to the bamboo grove. A plastic sheet was spread on the ground and the girl was made to lie down. Acting on Shila’s instructions, Pushpa held her daughter’s legs while Ramesh strangled the child to death. Thereafter, Ramesh struck the victim’s head with a stone. The blood was used in the rituals and later sprinkled at the temple.”

Revealing the findings of the probe, the SP stated, “The accused mother tried to mislead the investigators. Ramesh also gave misleading statements. But investigation revealed that the victim’s father works in Mumbai and Ramesh was a frequent visitor to Pushpa’s house. Ramesh and Pushpa were involved in an extra-marital affair for the past 10 years.”

Ramesh is also an accused in the murder case of his brother’s wife in 1998. He was in jail for a few years before getting bail, police said on Thursday.

DC Shashi Prakash Singh said, “A case has been registered under the POCSO Act. The Rs 4 lakh compensation earlier announced for the family members of the deceased minor girl has been kept on hold at present after new facts emerged during the investigation. A decision on the issue will be taken after the probe is completed.”