New Delhi, 10 April (H.S.):

The Supreme Court has summoned Ghaziabad's Police Commissioner and the Investigating Officer for a shocking lapse in probing the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, with a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant scheduling their appearance on April 13.

During hearings, senior advocate N. Hariharan, representing the victim's daily-wage-earning father, highlighted egregious investigative shortcomings. CJI Kant castigated two private hospitals for callously denying treatment, amplifying the family's ordeal after the child was lured away by a neighbor under the pretext of buying chocolate on March 16, only to be discovered bloodied and unconscious before succumbing to her injuries.

The court decried the authorities' insensitivity and procedural failures, vowing stringent accountability in this heartrending case that has ignited public outrage over child safety and justice delivery.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar