Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh terms Kotkhai rape-murder 'normal', says it happens everywhere

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday stoked a controversy with his latest remarks on the sensational 'Gurdiya rape-murder case'. 

The Chief Minister allegedly termed the 16-year-old's rape-murder a 'common happening' and said such incidents happen everywhere. 

"Gudiya rape-murder is a normal and small incident but has been blown out of proportion. Name one state or country where murders don't take place," the CM was quoted as saying. 

However, this was not the first such remark by the Chief Minister on the Kotkhai rape-murder case. 

In July, the Chief Minister came under sharp criticism for a similar remark where he stated 'such incidents keep on happening in a society'.

On July 4, a 16-year-old girl was offered a lift in a vehicle by the accused when she was returning home from school. On the way, the accused raped and murdered her at a nearby forest. Her naked body was found in isolated woods in Kotkhai tehsil’s Halaila village on July 13.

Agitated by the incident, angry locals vandalised police vehicle and staged massive protests across Kotkhai for several days alleging police inaction in the case. 

The police later took into custody at least eight suspects in connection with the case.

On July 19, after custodial death of one of the eight rape accused, the case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.