Amid allegations that the infant delivered by the 14-year-old victim in the heinous Chatroo case in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district was allegedly swapped, police have arrested four more persons, including two employees of the Health Department.
Reports said police have also detained a female nurse for questioning following the arrest of several persons in connection with the rape and death of the minor in Kishtwar district.
Although the authorities have maintained silence on the development, sources said the nurse was taken into custody following the testimony of accused Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, a contractual sanitation worker at District Hospital, Kishtwar. He was arrested on Thursday for allegedly assisting the main accused, Khalid Hussain, and his brother, Tariq Hussain, in the alleged criminal conspiracy.
The nurse allegedly arranged and administered medicines for termination of the minor's pregnancy, following which her condition deteriorated and she eventually died while being shifted to a private hospital outside Jammu and Kashmir.
Reports said the nurse is being questioned to ascertain the facts of the case. She allegedly acted on the advice of Farooq Ahmed and carried out the procedure without informing senior hospital officials.
Earlier on Thursday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Pardeep Singh, arrested three more persons.
The accused were identified as Farooq Ahmed, a daily-wage sweeper at District Hospital, Kishtwar; Riyaz Ahmed Sheikh, brother of the prime suspect; and Mohammad Ishaq. They were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy to conceal the crime, arrange logistics and facilitate an alleged illegal abortion attempt.
With the latest arrests, the total number of persons held under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with the case has risen to five, as authorities continue to examine evidence relating to the victim's alleged sexual assault, medical treatment and subsequent death.
After the minor became pregnant, the teacher and his brother, Tariq Hussain, allegedly attempted to terminate the pregnancy illegally. Following severe complications and a stillbirth during the alleged procedure, the minor's condition deteriorated rapidly, resulting in her death on August 20.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has issued notices to senior J&K administration officials, seeking an action-taken report in connection with the case.
BJP MLA assures verification of hospital records
Amid allegations that the infant delivered by the Chatroo victim was allegedly swapped to protect the main accused, BJP leader and Kishtwar MLA Shagun Parihar on Thursday assured locals that hospital records would be verified to ascertain the truth.
Parihar said verification would be carried out at hospitals in Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah and Batote to establish the identities of parents of children born during the relevant period.
"There are allegations that the infant was changed with the connivance of hospital staff. I assured them that proper verification would be conducted in Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah and Batote hospitals to identify the parents of all newborn children during that period," Parihar told people in Chatroo.
Responding to demands from local residents, Parihar said her party would approach Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat to seek the transfer of the case to the Crime Branch for a fair and transparent investigation.
She also assured the locals that she would approach the higher authorities for setting up a fast-track court for the speedy trial of the case so that the victim's family could get justice.
