Villagers block Kangra-Shimla highway over rape-murder

Tension prevailed near a village in Kangra district today after hundreds of villagers blocked the Kangra-Shimla National Highway for nearly three hours, demanding capital punishment for a minor accused of allegedly raping and killing a 43-year-old woman. The protesters laid the woman’s body on the road, refusing to remove it until authorities assured strict action.

The victim, Ranjana Kumari, had gone to her fields on November 3 to collect fodder when a minor youth reportedly attempted to molest her. When she resisted, he attacked her first with a rod and later with a sickle, inflicting fatal injuries. She was taken to PGI-Chandigarh, where she succumbed to her wounds.

Angry villagers gathered in large numbers, alleging that the accused was being shielded by the system and demanding that he be hanged immediately. Many insisted the accused was not worthy of leniency under the Juvenile Justice Act and should instead be handed over to the public if the government failed to deliver swift justice.

The protest brought traffic on the busy highway to a standstill. Despite repeated appeals from the police to clear the road, villagers refused to relent, demanding that the accused be brought to the spot.

The deadlock ended after Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Singh arrived and arranged a telephonic conversation between Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the victim’s relatives. Following the Chief Minister’s assurance of stringent action, the villagers lifted the blockade and took the body for cremation.

DC Amarjit Singh said the Chief Minister had directed the police to add all appropriate sections of law to the case. Superintendent of Police Bhagat Singh Thakur said the investigation was in progress and additional IPC provisions would be invoked as required.

He added that police were verifying the accused’s age from multiple sources amid allegations that his declared age was incorrect. “All facts will be established through documents, and every effort will be made to ensure such heinous incidents do not recur,” Thakur said.

Key demands of the protesters

• Immediate hanging of the accused for the alleged rape and murder of Ranjana Kumari

• Rejection of juvenile leniency, with villagers insisting the accused not be treated under the Juvenile Justice Act

• Verification of the accused’s age through multiple official records to rule out falsification

• Public assurance of justice from the CM and senior officials

• Stronger police action and inclusion of all relevant IPC sections, including those for sexual assault and murder