Key conspirator in Kathua rape case surrenders before Crime Branch

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 20

One of the main accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl from Rasana village of Kathua district on Tuesday surrendered before the Crime Branch of the J&K Police.

The surrender of one of the “main conspirators”, who is a retired official of the Revenue Department, came after the arrest of his son, Vishal Jangotra, from Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

“Yes, one of the main accused conspirators, Sanji Ram, has surrendered before the Crime Branch. His son was taken into custody from Meerut on Monday. They are being questioned for their involvement in the case,” said SP Vaid, Director General of Police.

Police sources said a police team had gone to the house of Sanji Ram, 60, in Rasana village on Monday to serve on him a notice, seeking his appearance before the Crime Branch for his alleged involvement in the case.

“Sanji Ram surrendered before the SSP, Crime Branch, Jammu,” sources said.

The SSP, Crime Branch, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar Jalla, however, refused to share the case details. “I cannot disclose the details because the case is pending with the J&K High Court,” he said.

Sanji Ram’s son Vishal Jangotra is a BSc Agriculture student of Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, from where he was taken into custody by a Crime Branch team on Monday.

The body of the eight-year-old girl was recovered from a forest area in Rasana village of Hiranagar on January 17. She had gone missing from her home on January 10.

The Crime Branch has so far arrested a police Head Constable, two Special Police officers and two local youths in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the attendance of Vishal Jangotra, accessed by his family at the university, showed that he was present in the college and appeared in the exams on January 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17 when the minor girl was allegedly missing.

“The girl went missing on January 10 and her family lodged a formal complaint with the police on January 11. Vishal was in his college and appeared in the exams under roll number RD1701803471. How is it possible to be present in Rasana village and in college on the same days? He is being implicated in a false case,” said a relative of Sanji Ram.

The family sources said Vishal’s three friends were also called to Jammu for questioning.

“His three friends were released from custody but Vishal is still in custody,” the family sources said.