Gaya teen murder: 16-year-old found beheaded; rape or honor killing?
The savage murder of a 16-year-old girl has sparked massive protests in the city of Gaya in Bihar. Thousands have taken to the streets after it was found that the teenager had been beheaded and her body brutally mutilated. While her family has alleged rape, police believe the murder to be a case of honor killing. Here's what we know.
The girl had gone missing from her home in Gaya on December 28, and days later, on January 6, her headless body was found in a decomposed condition. When her severed head was discovered 5km away, it was found that her face had been burnt with acid. There were deep gashes on her torso, and her breasts had been cut off too.
Following the discovery of the girl's body, her family alleged that she had been raped. The family has also accused police of inaction, claiming that the police refused to file a missing persons report. Police, however, say that the teenager returned home on December 31, and was sent away with a man known to the family at around 10pm on the same night.
The aforementioned man, meanwhile, has been detained but has denied killing the 16-year-old. However, preliminary investigations by the police have revealed that the man had been in touch with several local criminals. As of now, it is not clear whether the girl had been raped, and an autopsy report is expected to confirm what fate befell the teenager.
Meanwhile, public anger in Gaya has reached a boiling point over the lack of arrests and a perceived delay in police action. A series of candle light marches were taken out on Tuesday and Wednesday, while schools, factories, and weavers shut down operations on January 9 to protest against the gruesome murder. Incensed protesters are now demanding swift justice for the victim.
A series of candlelight marches are being planned multi-city. An activist on the ground says he’s under threat from goons. @NitishKumar please see that justice is done. pic.twitter.com/pMn1hvUZeK
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) January 10, 2019
