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Several parties of Puducherry that are part of the INDIA bloc and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) state unit held protests on Friday as part of their call for a dawn-to-dusk bandh to condemn the brutal sexual assault and murder of a girl.
The 12-hour bandh called by opposition AIADMK and the INDIA bloc condemned the failure of the Puducherry government in preventing the murder impacted normal life. They demanded a strong punishment for the culprits involved in the murder of the nine-year-old girl. Commercial and trade establishments and shops across the state of Puducherry are closed due to this total blockade. All the commercial establishments in Anna Road, Gandhi Veedi, Nehru Veedi etc. which are known as Vartha Dal are closed. Also, no buses are running in Puducherry state. Protests have erupted in Puducherry after the discovery of a nine-year-old girl's body, in a drain near her house three days after she had been reported missing. This crime led to a wave of public anger in the Union Territory. Police have arrested two people in connection with the case and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed. The girl was reported missing last Saturday (March 2), and on Tuesday, her body was discovered with her limbs tied and wrapped in cloth. Soon after, police arrested a 56-year-old man and a 19-year-old man under charges of murder, kidnapping, and violations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and SC/ST Acts. An SIT, spearheaded by Senior Superintendent of Police, was also formed. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan also visited the family. The LG consoled the family members. Speaking to reporters, she said that a fast-track special court would be set up to try the case. "The government will ensure that the culprits get maximum punishment. A fast-track special court will be set up immediately. They (the family members of the victim) said that the culprits should be given the death penalty. We can't take the laws into our hands, but emotionally, I'm on their side," Soundararajan said. (ANI)
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