Jaipur, August 3: A 14-year-old girl was allegedly murdered and her body was burnt in a coal furnace in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, police said on Thursday. Locals alleged that the girl was raped before she was murdered and thrown into the furnace. Police have detained five persons of the Kalbelia tribe, who work at the five coal furnace sites in the area, in connection with the incident and they are being interrogated.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP slammed the the ruling Congress government over the incident and formed a three-member committee of its own. The party also demanded the resignation of the chief minister over the incident. Rajasthan Shocker: Teenage Girl’s Burnt Body Found in Coal Furnace in Bhilwara District, Police Suspect Gangrape; Three Accused Arrested.

Girl Murdered, Burnt in Coal Furnace in Bhilwara

Taking cognisance of the matter, Sangeeta Beniwal, Chairperson of the Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, formed a three-member committee to look into the matter and submit a detailed report.

Beniwal also wrote a letter to ADG Civil Rights and SP Bhilwara, seeking a factual report on the case. Calling the incident "gruesome", BJP state president CP Joshi said, "Such an incident would not have happened anywhere in the country. Rajasthan is being tarnished by such incidents. Chief Minister Gehlot should resign in shame," Joshi said. He formed a three-member committee comprising MLA Anita Bhadel, BJP Mahila Morcha state president Raksha Bhandari and former MLA Atar Singh Bhadana and directed them to go to the spot and send him a report. Late on Wednesday night, while looking for the girl who went missing in the morning, her family members spotted her footwear near one of the five furnaces. On peeping inside, they found her bangle and a few bones, the police said. Delhi Shocker: Minor Girl Sexually Assaulted by Cleaner in School in South Delhi, Accused Arrested.

Locals caught hold of a few persons of the Kalbelia nomadic tribe, suspecting their involvement in the crime, and handed them over to the police, they said.

Around 4-5 persons from the nomadic community who operate the coal furnaces and live near them have been detained and are being interrogated at the Kotri police station.

Kotri SHO said that last night, one of the five furnaces was operated without being fully covered, contrary to normal practice. "The locals spotted a fire in one furnace. Usually, the furnaces are fully covered but a particular furnace was left open from one side. The locals reached there and found the bangle of the girl, following which they recovered a few bones," the SHO said. He said that barring the crime scene, four other furnaces were demolished today.

BJP leader Kalulal Gurjar who reached the village and met the victim's family members alleged that the girl was raped and her body was burnt in the furnace. Gurjar alleged that the police did not act promptly in the case and detained the suspected accused only after the villagers caught them.

Police said they have not yet ruled out the possibility of rape in the matter, adding that further probe is on. Congress leader Dheeraj Gurjar also reached the spot and enquired about the incident. He said that the culprits will not be spared.

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