Constable arrested in connection with Lakhimpur girl's murder

Gunner of a circle officer was on Sunday arrested by the CB-CID team probing the death of a minor girl, who was found hanging inside Nighasan police station in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur district.

"Gunner of Circle officer Atiq Ahamad has been arrested by the CB-CID for his involvement killing a 14-year-old girl, who was hanging on Jun 10 in Lakhimpur Kheri," Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters Lucknow.

He said that during interrogation Ahamad has allegedly confessed to his involvement in the girl's murder.

On whether there was an attempt to rape, Singh denied but said that it was a molestation bid and the constable used to lure the girl and his past had corroborated this.

The charge-sheet in the matter would be filed soon in the court.

The case came into limelight when entire opposition raked up the incident and demanded CBI probe, alleging that girl was raped and murdered inside the police station.

A panel of three doctors A K Agarwal, S P Singh and A K Sharma, who performed autopsy were placed under suspension for mentioning asphyxia as the cause of death, which was entirely different from the findings of another post mortem by a panel of five doctors.

The second post mortem had concluded that the girl was strangulated, but ruled out rape.

After the incident sparked an outrage, the state government rejected the earlier autopsy report and ordered a new post mortem by a panel of doctors from other districts.

The official said while an FIR had been lodged against a sub-inspector and two constables for tampering evidence, a man Ram Chander was also arrested on June 13 on similar charges.

The victim's mother in her complaint had alleged that her daughter was raped and murdered after her body was found hanging from a tree in police station premises.

Eleven policemen posted at Nighasan Police Station were suspended.

AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had visited the family of victim early this week.