Uttarakhand Nurse Rape Murder Case:
The entire nation is outraged over the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata. Even after the arrest of the accused, protests continue. Doctors across the country have gone on strike, halting work, and demanding the harshest punishment for the guilty. The High Court handed over the investigation of this case from the police to the CBI. The case is nearly resolved. Similarly, or perhaps even more horrifying, an incident occurred 1,357 km away in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand. This case, which involves the rape and murder of a nurse, has led to daily protests, and there are questions about police action.
The Nurse Went Missing on July 30
This chilling event began in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand, in the town of Rudrapur, where there is a large private hospital. Tastleem, a nurse around 30 years old, worked there. Previously married but later divorced, she maintained a consistent routine, going to the hospital and returning home on time. On July 30, she left home as usual but never returned by evening. Her phone was unreachable. Her family contacted the hospital and acquaintances, but there was no information. They continued searching for her throughout the night but to no avail.
The Police Filed a Missing Report
On July 31, Tastleem's sister filed a missing person report at Rudrapur police station. The family, along with the police, began searching for her, questioning hospital staff and those who knew her. Despite efforts, no leads were found. The family began to fear the worst.
Skeleton Found Near UP Border
While Uttarakhand police were searching for the nurse, on August 8, the Bilaspur police in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh found a skeleton near Dibdiba. The state of the body made identification difficult since the face was entirely decomposed, revealing just the skull.
Post-Mortem Reveals Rape and Murder
Surprisingly, while the body had become a skeleton, the hands and feet were relatively intact. During the search, the police found a woman's ID card near the body. The ID card belonged to Tastleem, the nurse from Footela hospital. The body was then sent for a post-mortem, which revealed that the woman had been raped and strangled to death. Subsequently, the UP police contacted the Footela hospital and informed them about the discovery.
Source: aajtak
Nurse's ID Card Found Near the Body
Meanwhile, the Rudrapur police, still searching for the nurse, discovered through investigation that she was last seen heading towards Dibdiba in the Bilaspur police area on July 30. A CCTV camera captured her in that vicinity. The Rudrapur police were informed by the hospital about the discovery of Tastleem's ID card and a body in the Bilaspur area. A police team was immediately dispatched to Bilaspur, UP.
Suspect Seen in CCTV Footage
Prior to this, the Uttarakhand police had placed the nurse's mobile number under surveillance. CCTV footage revealed a suspicious man following the nurse. Now, the man from the footage became the prime suspect. Based on the surveillance of active phone numbers at the crime scene, the Rudrapur police team raided Turasa Patti village in the Sahi police area, Bareilly, UP, suspecting the killer to be there. However, no one was found.
Suspect Traced to Rajasthan
The investigation received a crucial input, leading to teams being sent to UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Eventually, the suspect was traced to Rajasthan. Uttarakhand police apprehended Dharmendra and his wife Khushbu from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and brought them to Rudrapur for questioning.
Rape and Murder News Incites Public Anger
Between July 30 and August 8, news of the nurse's disappearance spread throughout the state. Citizens took to the streets across the district. When the news of her rape and murder surfaced, public anger intensified, leading to protests. On August 15, the police claimed to have solved the case, presenting Dharmendra as the accused to the media.
SSP's Account
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Udham Singh Nagar, Dr. Manju Nath TC, stated that during interrogation, Dharmendra confessed to his crime. He explained that on the evening of July 30, he saw the woman walking alone on the road to Vasundhara Colony and developed ill intentions. Taking advantage of the darkness, he forcibly took her into the bushes, attempted to rape her, and when she resisted, he slammed her head onto the road and raped her. Finally, he strangled her with a scarf. After dumping the body in the bushes, he fled with her mobile phone and Rs 30,000, later apprehended in Rajasthan.
Source: aajtak
Police's Claim
SSP Dr. Manju Nath TC asserted that Dharmendra was the one who assaulted the nurse and murdered her. He was arrested and sent to jail. Meanwhile, on August 9, protests erupted over the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata, affecting the nurse's case in Rudrapur as young people, students, and various organizations took to the streets demanding justice for the nurse.
Victim's Family Disputes Police's Claim
In reality, no one trusted the police's story. The nurse's family claimed that the police's disclosure was false. They accused the police of forcing the drug addict, presented as the accused, to confess. The public did not believe the police narrative, leading to protests against the police.
Family Demands CBI Investigation
The nurse's family consistently questioned the police's findings and demanded a CBI investigation. During this time, several organizations, including Congress and student unions, became vocal against the police, even demonstrating at the SSP's office to demand a CBI probe. The nurse's family joined this demonstration.
SSP Loses His Cool, Makes Controversial Statement
Seeing the growing unrest, SSP Dr. Manju Nath TC decided to meet the protestors. During this interaction, he lost his temper, stating that it was not solely his responsibility to fix such heinous crimes. He emphasized that while the police were acting quickly in every case, he could not singlehandedly eradicate societal evils. This controversial statement put the police captain under scrutiny and became a talking point. The uproar in Uttarakhand over the nurse's rape and murder case intensified.
Source: aajtak
Opposition Targets
Udhampur Singh Nagar MLA Tilak Raj Behad expressed concerns over the situation, highlighting the rueful state where safety for women is compromised and crimes are on the rise. He lamented that a woman returning from her hospital job was found raped and murdered, criticizing the government, particularly the lack of any statement from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
SIT Formation for Investigation
Given the escalating uproar, the police find themselves on the back foot. After much political pressure, SSP Udham Singh Nagar formed an SIT to investigate the case. SSP reversed their earlier investigation narrative, placing SP (Crime) Chandrashekar Ghodke in charge of supervising the SIT, with SP (City) Manoj Katyal leading the investigation team.
Unanswered Questions
This case leaves several unanswered questions for the SIT:
- How did the body decompose to a skeleton in just nine days, while hands and feet remained intact? - Was acid used to destroy the body? - How did the nurse's daughter's mobile end up with Dharmendra's wife? - Where is the nurse's mobile phone? - Who is the person seen in the CCTV footage?
When Will Rudrapur's Daughter Get Justice?
Despite apparent police negligence, no action was taken against any officers. People eagerly await the results of the SIT investigation. The delay increases the call for a CBI probe, with opposition parties, particularly Congress, pressing the government. The public's primary hope is to secure justice for the nurse from Rudrapur.
