A man accused of the gang rape and murder of a girl in northern India has been killed in police custody, an official said Thursday, sparking angry riots in the usually tranquil Himalayan region.

Hundreds of protesters furious over the police handling of the case chanted “we want justice” in the popular tourist hill resort of Shimla, with businesses remaining closed in some parts of Himachal Pradesh state.

There have been vigils and strikes across the region since the 16-year-old victim was found naked and mutilated in a forest, with many accusing police of bungling the investigation.

Tensions escalated further after a suspect held for the gruesome crime was killed in his cell by another inmate during a scuffle.

The head of the suspect, Nepalese national Suraj Singh, was struck against a wall, and he "was taken to hospital where he was declared dead," said Z.H. Zaidi, the police inspector general.

News of his death triggered fury, with rioters torching a police station and vehicles.

The brutality of the crime shocked residents in Himachal Pradesh, a Himalayan state with some of India's lowest rates of sexual violence, and prompted calls for a swift investigation.

An autopsy confirmed the girl was gang raped and strangled. She sustained severe injuries in the assault, including a broken leg.

Six men were arrested but those calling for swift justice accused police of bungling the case, saying the main culprits were still at large.

“The main accused is roaming free. How can anyone die in police custody?” one protester in Shimla told Indian broadcaster NDTV on Thursday.

India has a gruesome record on rape. Nearly 40,000 rape cases are reported every year but the real number is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be handled.

Nearly 2,200 rapes were registered in 2015 in the Indian capital New Delhi — an average of six per day. Himachal Pradesh recorded 244 rapes that same year, among the lowest rates in India.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.