Hazaribagh, March 30 : The brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kusumbha village under the Vishnugarh police station area of Jharkhandâ??s Hazaribagh has sparked massive public outrage in the district.

The BJP, along with local residents, called for a â??Hazaribagh Bandhâ?? on Monday in protest against the incident, which witnessed a widespread impact across the district.

Protesters took to the streets in several areas, including Hazaribagh city and the Vishnugarh block headquarters, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and strict action.

Hundreds of people, including Hazaribagh MP Manish Jaiswal, Barhi MLA Manoj Kumar Yadav and district BJP President Vivekananda Singh, marched through the streets, raising slogans and forcing the closure of markets.

Shops remained spontaneously closed in several localities, including the Vishnugarh police station area, Jhumra Market, and Saat Mile.

Commercial establishments in Jhumra Market and adjoining suburbs also remained completely shut, disrupting normal public life.

Protesters alleged that the police have failed to arrest the main accused, even six days after the crime. This, they said, reflects the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state.

They described the incident as bearing chilling similarities to the Delhi â??Nirbhayaâ?? case.

Hazaribagh MP Jaiswal said the state governmentâ??s silence over such a heinous crime in Vishnugarh was baffling. He alleged that the government had failed to even express basic sympathy towards the victim and her family.

According to police, the minor girl had gone out on Tuesday evening to watch the Ram Navami procession but failed to return home. A search was launched later that night. Her mutilated body was recovered from bushes near the village on Wednesday, triggering shock and anger across the region.

Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra constituted an SIT to probe the case, but so far no arrests have been made.

Earlier in the day, the Jharkhand High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued notices to the State Home Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP), seeking their responses.

The court sought details of the investigation from the Hazaribagh SP, who appeared virtually in the proceedings. The SP assured the court that the accused would be identified and would be arrested soon.

However, the court observed that the failure to arrest the culprits even six days after the incident was a matter of serious concern.

Meanwhile, heavy police deployment has been made across the Hazaribagh district, and the administration is keeping a close watch on the situation.

/IANS