Police on Monday arrested one of the accused in the rape and murder case of a minor girl in central Kashmir's Budgam district within 36 hours, while efforts are underway to nab other persons involved in the crime. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Budgam, Hariprasad K K told reporters, as per the news agency, that during the course of the investigation, police collected substantial digital, biological, serological, and material evidence related to the case. Several suspects were rounded up and questioned continuously over the last 36 hours."Based on the available evidence, it became apparent that the involvement of a local individual was the most probable scenario in this case," the SSP said.
The officer said that during sustained interrogation, one of the suspects made disclosures that closely matched the evidence collected by investigators. "Upon further questioning, the suspect admitted his involvement in the crime. Based on his confession, additional material evidence has also been seized," he added.
Police identified the arrested accused as Mudasir, saying he was arrested within 36 hours of the incident.
The SSP said the investigation into other aspects of the case, including the motive behind the crime and the exact sequence of events, is still underway. "Our work does not stop here. Our mission is to conduct a robust investigation, prepare a strong case file, and ensure a comprehensive charge sheet so that conviction is secured," he said.
The officer termed the crime as an "offence against the State" and said the entire police machinery remained focused on solving the case. He appealed to the people of Galwanpora and the general public to cooperate with the investigation and maintain trust in the police."We understood the gravity of our responsibility, and that is why we were able to make headway in cracking this case within 36 hours," the SSP said.
A 12-year-old girl from Galwanpora area of Budgam had gone missing on the evening of May 23 and was found dead in a field near her village the next morning, triggering widespread outrage and protests across Kashmir.
Police had earlier said that prima facie the case appeared to be one of rape and murder, following which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the incident.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, political parties, and civil society groups have condemned the incident and demanded strict punishment for those involved.
