A 25-year-old youth, who was facing trial under the POCSO Act, jumped off a bridge into the Tawi river here on Tuesday afternoon. The accused, who was not traced when reports last poured in, has been identified as Akshay Kumar, son of Kirpal Chand of Janak Nagar, Janipur.
He had alleged harassment by the Janipur police, authorities of the government medical college and hospital and the minor rape survivor's family.
According to his friend who received the vides by the Akshay said, "Around 1.45 pm he jumped off the third Tawi bridge into the swollen river. At 1.42 pm, he sent me two videos from his cellphone wherein he blamed the administration, health department, the minor survivor and her mother for the extreme step.
"He said in the videos that since Tuesday morning Janipur police had been harassing him for getting his COVID test done before being sent to jail, while the hospital authorities asked him to bring a police order for it", as per Hindustan Times reports.
Akshay on interim bail citing father's ill health
Since March 13, Akshay had been on interim bail on humanitarian grounds citing ill health of his father.
Later he was refused to the extension on his bail on the grounds of the heinousness of the crime and critical juncture of the case where statements of the survivor and her mother had to be recorded.
SHO Naresh Sharma said there were no court orders for the police to get his Covid-19 test conducted. "His bail had been refused, and considering heinousness of the crime he was asked to surrender before the jail authorities.
"Under the COVID protocol, he had to get himself tested for the virus before the surrender, as directed by the court. Since he didn't comply with the court order, we had to arrest him and take him to the court," the SHO said.
The police officer further said that the accused didn't want to go to jail and hence was frustrated. Meanwhile, Nowabad SHO Deepak Jasrotia said police and SDRF personnel were trying to trace his body.
