Muslim man rapes, hangs tribal girl from tree in Jharkhand, India 

The suspect Armaan Ansari, has been arrested

By Edward Era Barbacena

A tribal girl, 14, was found hanging from a tree in Jharkhand’s Dumka early Friday morning by the locals. The police have handed over her body to the family after an autopsy.

The girl was allegedly raped and murdered, Deputy Inspector General of Police Sudarshan Mandal told India Today TV.

The accused, Arman Ansari, has been arrested.

According to sources, the girl used to live with her aunt in Dumka, where she got into a relationship with Ansari. She was pregnant, they added. When she asked Ansari to marry her, he killed her, the sources said.

The police are waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain whether she was killed first and hanged from the tree to stage a suicide.

“We have asked the administration to investigate the case thoroughly. If not, the probe should be handed over to the CBI or the NIA. We will go from village to village to form a women’s organization if justice is not done. We will protect our women,” BJP leader Louis Marandi told India Today TV.

"I am deeply saddened by the incident in Dumka. In the said case, the accused has been arrested and I have directed Dumka Police to take strict legal steps to ensure justice. May God give peace to the departed daughter and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this critical time," Chief Minister Hemant Soren tweeted.

Tweeting about the incident, tagging Home Minister Amit Shah, the Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand assembly, Babulal Marandi, said: “This news from Dumka is going to boil your blood. It is alleged that this tribal girl was hanged on a tree after being raped by a youth named Arman Ansari yesterday. Arman is arrested. And how many tribal girls will be the victims of such scoundrels in Jharkhand?”

In a follow-up tweet, Babulal Marandi shared the Aadhaar Card of the girl and wrote: "According to the information received, this santhal tribal girl was just 14 years old, a victim of Armaan's jihadi desires. The possibility of this matter being linked to the international network of love jihad also cannot be ruled out."

Amit Malviya, the BJP's IT cell head, also tweeted about the incident, alleging that "dalits and tribals in Jharkhand are not safe under Hemant Soren".

"After Ankita Singh, now Arman Ansari rapes a minor Tribal girl, murders and hangs her from a tree in Dumka.

Dalits and Tribals in Jharkhand are not safe under Hemant Soren. He has allowed radical elements to take over while he is busy allotting mining lease to himself and family," Malviya tweeted.

The incident comes days after a Class 12 student was set ablaze allegedly by her stalker, Shahrukh, leading to massive political and social outrage in a state that is scrambling to avoid an overthrow of its elected government.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, caught in the middle of an illegal mining scam, is grappling to retain his MLAs from being poached by the BJP. Several MLAs of the ruling coalition, nearly 40, have been flown to neighbouring Chhattisgarh - a Congress-ruled state - to prevent any defections.