A deeply disturbing case has surfaced from Jharkhand, where a 13-year-old girl was allegedly strangled to death by her adoptive brother following a dispute over her social media interactions. The incident, which took place on March 13 in Jhakhratand village under Ratu police station, was brought to light only weeks later. Ranchi Rural SP Praveen Pushkar detailed the case on Monday, confirming the arrest of the accused, 29-year-old Rahul, along with his father, Subodh Pathak.
According to police, tensions escalated after Rahul discovered that the girl had been communicating with his brother-in-law on social media. This anger had reportedly been building for some time. On the night of March 13, a heated confrontation broke out between Rahul and the teenager.
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In a fit of rage, Rahul allegedly strangled her inside their home.Following the incident, Subodh called a doctor known to the family. The doctor examined the girl, declared her dead, and advised the family to cremate the body immediately. Acting on this, they hired an ambulance and transported the body to Gaya in Bihar, where they carried out the cremation in secrecy, without informing authorities.Police learned that the girl had been adopted by Subodh from Bihar’s Aurangabad district when she was about five years old.
Her biological mother had passed away, and her father — who is handicapped — reportedly handed her over to Subodh, believing she would receive better care. However, investigators found signs suggesting the child had long faced neglect within the household. Rahul, in particular, allegedly resented her presence and never accepted her as part of the family. Officers were informed that the family even cooked her meals separately, reflecting a pattern of discrimination.The matter came under scrutiny only on April 2, after villagers noticed post-death rituals being performed at the Pathak residence and alerted police. A team later visited Aurangabad to meet the girl’s biological father and confirm details of the adoption.Authorities have recorded the ambulance driver’s statement and are conducting searches to trace the doctor who advised the cremation. Rahul’s wife was reportedly not at home during the incident. Both father and son are now in judicial custody as investigations continue.
