Jammu: Chargesheet filed in mysterious death of college student

Jammu: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday filed a chargesheet in a case related to the mysterious death of a college student in Samba district, a police official said.

The body of 20-year-old Vaishali, a resident of Sumb village, was recovered from a railway track in Ludhiana, Punjab, on August 21, a day after she went missing while returning home from government degree college, Samba, leading to protests by the villagers.

The main accused, Sunil Kumar Sharma of Markoli-Taloor village, was arrested on March 14 by the SIT, which was constituted by Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba, Benam Tosh.

"The four-member SIT headed by sub-divisional police officer, Vijaypur concluded the investigation on merit in a time-bound manner and has filed the chargesheet in the court of law for judicial determination," Tosh said.

The officer said the investigation was conducted in a highly professional manner and evidence was collected against the arrested accused.

On March 1, the chief judicial magistrate, Samba directed the police to depute a senior officer to conduct preliminary enquiry after the victim's father approached the court for investigation into the case.

Complying with the court directions, Tosh deputed a DSP-rank officer to Sumb village where he conducted preliminary enquiry, recorded statements, thoroughly examined call details, discretely elicited information and submitted report with the conclusion that the matter was cognisable and warranted registration of an FIR under law, officials said.

Upon this, the chief judicial magistrate passed directions to the police to register the FIR under relevant sections of law. Subsequently, a case was registered at police station Samba and the accused was arrested, they added.

Published on: Monday, May 29, 2023, 08:20 PM IST