Jharkhand woman raped and murdered after religious gathering; accused arrested within 48 hours

Ramgarh (Jharkhand), October 14 (IANS) The Jharkhand Police claimed on Tuesday that it solved a case of rape and murder in Ramgarh district within 48 hours.

Police said a woman returning from a religious gathering (satsang) was allegedly raped and murdered in the Bhadaninagar police station area of Ramgarh. The crime was solved within 48 hours, with the accused apprehended by police in the Ranchi district.

According to Ramgarh's Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar, the victim’s body was discovered on Saturday morning near the Chaingarh flyover. Following a complaint lodged by the woman’s husband, a case of murder was registered, and an investigation was launched.

The investigation revealed that the woman had been waiting for transportation near Chaingarh after attending the satsang. A truck driver, later identified as Suvindra Yadav, a resident of Sherghati in Bihar’s Gaya district, allegedly approached her under the pretext of offering a lift.

When the woman declined, he forcibly dragged her into the vehicle, drove to a secluded location, and committed the heinous crime. He then strangled her to death and fled the scene with the truck.

In response, the Ramgarh police formed 15 special teams to track the perpetrator. These teams, comprising officers from various units including cybercrime and district intelligence, analysed CCTV footage from border checkpoints, national highways, and toll plazas.

Technical surveillance and physical evidence led investigators to the Khalari area of Ranchi district, where the accused was arrested.

Police also recovered key evidence from the accused, including his clothes, slippers, and mobile phone.

Forensic analysis and digital tracking further revealed that Yadav had a history of visiting pornographic websites and had been actively searching online for updates related to the police investigation following the crime.

SP Ajay Kumar emphasised that the police are committed to ensuring the strictest punishment for the accused through a fast-track trial. He praised the swift coordination of the investigation team, which included Patratu ASP Gaurav Goswami, DSP Headquarters Chandan Vats, Cyber DSP Ajay Kumar, trainee DSP Faizan Ahmed, Circle Inspector Satyendra Kumar, and several local police station in-charges.

The case has sparked outrage and renewed calls for stronger measures to ensure the safety of women, particularly in rural and transit areas.

--IANS

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