Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Dec 30: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Leh, Shree Ram R, today said that a missing minor reported earlier this month has been successfully rescued following a swift inter-district police operation, while the accused involved has been arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Addressing media persons, the SSP said a missing report was lodged on December 20 by the parents of the minor at a police station in Leh. As per mandatory procedure, an FIR was immediately registered and investigation was set into motion.
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During the course of investigation, police received credible inputs suggesting that the minor had allegedly been enticed by a person from Kargil. Further technical and human intelligence revealed that both the accused and the minor were present in Srinagar at the time, prompting immediate police intervention.
A police team traced and secured both individuals and proceeded to bring them back to Leh. However, due to the closure of Zojila Pass owing to adverse weather conditions, the team was temporarily stranded near Sonamarg. Despite the challenges, the police successfully recovered the minor on the morning of December 29 and ensured her safe return to Leh.
The SSP said the accused was arrested on the same day, and subsequent investigation revealed offences attracting provisions of the POCSO Act, including allegations of sexual assault. Accordingly, relevant sections of the Act have been invoked and further investigation is underway.
He added that all mandatory legal and statutory procedures are being followed. The Child Welfare Committee has been informed, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted, headed by IPS officer Rishab Shukla as Chief Investigating Officer.
The SSP also issued a strong warning against attempts to give the case a communal colour, stating that it is purely an individual criminal matter with no communal angle. He cautioned that spreading rumours or misinformation, particularly on social media, is punishable under law, and action has already been taken against one individual under relevant legal provisions.
Appealing to the media and public, the SSP urged strict adherence to legal norms, especially those prohibiting disclosure of the identity or location of the victim in POCSO cases, warning that any violation would invite strict action.
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