Violence continues to haunt the streets of Indian city Shimla due to public outrage for the gang-rape and murder of a teenage girl.
Shops, offices and schools remain closed after mobs dominated the streets with a public so furious with what they believe are police failures to handle the situation following the attack on the victim.
Six men were arrested after the naked body of the 16-year-old victim was discovered in a forest.
The riots escalated overnight after it was discovered that the main suspect had killed one of his co-accused while the accused were being held at a makeshift cell inside a local police station. Reports say Rajendra Singh killed Suraj Singh by smashing his head a number of times on the floor.
The news triggered massive outrage, with nearly 2,000 people taking to the streets. The angry mob set vehicles on fire, and attacked officers at the police station.
The country’s opposition party, the BJP, has also stepped in, urging for a complete shutdown of services until the public gets the answers for the failures of the police.
Investigators say the victim was walking home from school when the lead suspect offered her a ride. Police also say the girl was sexually assaulted and murdered in an apple orchard.
The girl was reported missing on July 4, and her body was discovered two days later. Her body was dumped in woodland around 34 miles from Shimla.
The victim’s sisters say the men who have been arrested are not the correct suspects. They claim the real suspects are men from high profile families. The sisters insist the protests will go on until the police go after the real suspects.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation to form a special unit to handle the case, taking the responsibility off the local level.
All Kotkhai police station staff, including the station house inspector, have been suspended for the death of the suspect while under their custody.
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