Father accused of raping, killing daughter

Prashant Acharya, EOI, 18 October, Bagdogra: In an incident in the remote village of Khoribari that has drawn widespread public condemnation, a father has been accused of raping and brutally beheading his 13-year-old daughter with an axe.

Khoribari police have arrested Nima Tamang (42), alias Kalu of Jharu Jote, over the murder and for allegedly hiding the victim’s body, under Sections 302/201 of the IPC. However, as the body has not yet been medically examined and the accused has not confessed to the crime, rape charges have not been added so far.

Sarita Tamang, a student of class IV in Rambola Jote Primary School under Rangli, used to live with her father as her mother Sita, younger sisters Nikita and Nita, and elder brother Ashok, had left her for Gujarat to work.

Sarita’s uncle Hastabahadur Lama said the victim was missing since Saturday last. He said Nima used to work at Durgamata tea estate and was a habitual alcoholic who had stopped eating since and had started behaving like a mentally ill patient.

Some locals said a bad odour from a bush nearby had started filling up the area since last Monday, but they had ignored it thinking some animal may have died. However, the smell became intolerable since Thursday night and when they searched the area this morning, they were taken aback to find Sarita’s decomposed body in the bush. The police was informed and the body taken for postmortem.

Eyewitness Kali Biswakarma said the head was severed from the body and the two parts were lying in separate places. The locals suspect Nima may have raped and killed her in a drunken stupour.

Further, blood was found scattered across the wall in Sarita’s room and her bed was also caked in dry blood. A bloodied axe was also found in the room.

Kalimpong ASP PK Kanan, the in-charge of the area, said the accused appears to be mentally ill and did not answer properly while being interrogated. Laxmi Tamang, a relative of the victim, filed a complaint against Nima following which he was booked under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. “Whether she was raped or not can only be ascertained after the postmortem report is made available,” added the ASP.