Amidst unprecedented public outburst and angry protests on Friday, the Himachal Pradesh government decided to refer the ‘Gudia’ gangrape-cum-murder case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The government took the stance a day after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested six persons on Thursday, including two Nepalese, in connection with the heinous crime that failed to convince the public in Shimla district.

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‘Gudia’, a 16-year-old Class X girl from Shimla district had gone missing on 4 July as she did not return home from school that was about 13 kms from her house.

On 6 July, her body was found in the woods and her autopsy report revealed that she was gang raped and later strangulated to death.

Dissatisfied with the Police inquiry, a large number of people gathered in Theog and Kotkhai areas of Shimla raised slogans against the government and the Police, alleging a ‘cover-up’ to shelter the real culprits, who they alleged hailed from a rich background.

The epi-centre of protests was at Theog about 18 kms from Shimla, where parents, relatives of the deceased ‘Gudia’ along with the protesters brought the traffic on the National Highway to a standstill by holding chakka jam. The shops in the entire area were closed down in protest, as the furious public pelted stones on Police Thana, Theog and damaged government vehicles.

Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) DW Negi reached the spot to pacify crowd, the protesters turned violent and even tried to roughen up SP, who was later escorted Negi to the Police Station.

Additional force was requisitioned to control the mayhem, as soon as the police bus reached the spot, the protesters did not allow the police personnel to de-board the bus and inflated the tyres.

The protest was withdrawn only after they were informed in writing about government’s decision to refer the case to CBI.

“The six arrests were only a breakthrough, which would have given us further leads into the case,”said Director General of Police, Somesh Goel.

The SIT constituted to probe the matter was headed by Inspector General Southern Range Zahur Zaidi. The Police had arrested one person, Ashish Chauhan (29) of Saraal village that led to the arrest of five others, including five others Rajinder Singh (32) of Saraal village, Subhash Singh Bisht (42) of Pauri Garhwal, Deepak (38) of Gharwal and Surat Singh (29) and Lok Jan (19) both of Nepal.

CBI probe to remove doubts, if any: CM

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said, keeping with the sensitivity of case and to remove all doubts, if any, the case is being referred to CBI.

He said the government moved with alacrity and necessary directions were issued to the Director General of Police (DGP) to constitute a SIT for nabbing the culprits. The Chief Minister said that a high level team was constituted for investigation after the matter came into notice and a police team led by an officer of the rank of DGP himself went for probe.

He said the rape and murder of Gudia shook the sensibilities of the people in state.

“On the basis of investigations carried by the SIT, few people were arrested and while they were being brought to Shimla the convoy was attacked by an organized group, already waiting,” Singh said.

Singh termed the ‘mayhem’ and incidents of destroying of public property at Theog as politically motivated and added that instead of having sympathies with the family of ‘Gudia’, the matter was being given a political colour.

“Notwithstanding this, the government has decided to refer the matter to CBI, so that no doubts were left in anybody’s mind,” he said.