Mob attacks 6-year-old Hoshiarpur girl’s rapist and his grandfather

Chandigarh, October 23

A mob on Friday assaulted an accused and his grandfather, who were in police custody on charges of raping and burning a six-year-old girl at Tanda in Hoshiarpur district.

The mob demanded the handover of the accused—Gurpreet Singh and his grandfather Surjit Singh—so they could punish them with their own hands.

The accused allegedly killed the child and burnt her body after which the half-burnt body was found from their house, police said about the crime that took place on Thursday.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken suo-moto cognisance of the crime and sought a report from the state in three days.

The girl's body was found at the residence of the accused at Jalalpur village in Tanda on Thursday evening, the police said.

The accused have been arrested on charges of murder and rape under the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The police took the accused to a hospital at Tanda on Friday for their medical examination when the mob attacked them. The police rescued them as the mob broke down the windowpanes of the hospital.

According to the FIR, accused Gurpreet took the girl to his house where he allegedly raped her.

Expressing shock at the crime, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said he had directed the Director General of Police to ensure proper investigation and that challan is presented speedily.

"Call for fast trial and exemplary punishment to the guilty by the court," he said in a tweet.

Taking cognisance of the media reports, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in a missive to the SSP sought details of the crime, including a copy of the FIR, action taken against the accused and the post-mortem details in three days. IANS