Sarkaghat killing sparks political storm, accused in police remand; victim cremated, as CM assures justice

Shimla: The Sarkaghat court on Tuesday sent the accused, Vikas Patiyal, in the brutal murder of 19-year-old college student Sia Guleria to police custody till April 16, even as the killing triggered a political storm in Himachal Pradesh.The accused allegedly attacked the victim with a sharp-edged weapon in Gopalpur area of Sarkaghat on Monday while she was on her way to college, leading to her death on the spot. Police said he is from the same village as the victim and is suspected to be a drug addict.Investigators are probing the motive, with call detail records and forensic reports awaited. Following the court order, the accused was taken for medical examination.Chief minister Sukhu on Tuesday said women are safe in the state and assured strict action in the case. "A daughter of ours was brutally murdered. We ensured the immediate arrest of the accused," he said, adding that he had directed the DGP to conduct a thorough probe. "We will ensure the strictest possible punishment through the court."He said preliminary inputs suggest the accused may have been a drug addict, but all angles would be probed. "No one has the right to take a life… we will get to the bottom of the case," he said, asserting that isolated incidents should not be seen as a reflection of overall safety.Hitting back, leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur termed the incident a sign of "deteriorating law and order". Calling the murder "deeply disturbing", he said the brutality had shaken public conscience and demanded a time-bound probe.Thakur, who met the victim's family, said their grief was "indescribable" and stressed the need to examine any wider conspiracy. Linking the crime to rising drug abuse, he cited over 6,200 drug-related cases and 66 overdose deaths in recent years, and flagged an increase in crimes against women.Accusing the govt of administrative failure and lack of sensitivity, he said urgent steps were needed to restore public confidence and ensure women's safety.Sukhu, however, rejected allegations of weak enforcement, saying the prompt arrest of the accused sent a strong message. He accused the opposition of trying to politicise a sensitive issue.Public works minister Vikramaditya Singh met the victim's family and assured justice, while protests were held in Sarkaghat demanding strict action. Student groups and social organisations participated, calling for a crackdown on drugs. The victim was cremated in her native village on Tuesday.