Family stages hour-long roadblock in Chamba, warns of indefinite protest if no clues found
Subhash Mahajan
Chamba: A case that began with the sudden disappearance of a Salooni girl three months ago has turned into a major headache for the Chamba police and the local administration in Himachal Pradesh, with no clues yet about her whereabouts.
Amid mounting pressure from the family, authorities have now deployed divers, conducted a polygraph test on the prime suspect and intensified investigations, but the mystery remains unsolved.
Frustrated by the slow progress, the girl’s parents, Loki and Devki, along with villagers, staged a protest on Wednesday near the district taxi stand, blocking traffic for almost an hour. The protesters raised slogans against the administration and the Himachal Pradesh Police, submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner highlighting their anguish and demanding urgent action.
Initially, they refused to clear the road, but finally relented after assurances of prompt action. The family warned that if no substantial lead emerges within two days, they would launch an indefinite protest.
Suspect in custody, polygraph test conducted
The family has alleged that a JBT (Junior Basic Training) teacher is involved in the girl’s disappearance. The accused has been arrested and admitted to dropping the girl in Nurpur, but denied knowledge of her subsequent movements.
The police have conducted a polygraph test on the teacher in Shimla in October and the report is awaited. Meanwhile, the Education Department has suspended him following his 24-hour detention, and he remains in police custody.
Divers deployed for search in Chamera reservoir
To cover all possible leads, the police have deployed a team of divers in Chamera reservoir to comb the area for any trace of the missing girl. “Every potential location is being searched thoroughly,” said Mukesh Repaswal, Deputy Commissioner, Chamba.
The protest caused long queues of school buses, ambulances and other vehicles. When the police allowed an ambulance to pass, other vehicles moved as well, which further angered the protesters, who demanded that no vehicle be allowed through. Officers eventually managed to control the situation by negotiating with the crowd.
