Belthangady: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s Special Branch is yet to make headway in the investigation of the murder of a 17-year-old a pre-university college girl near Dharmasthala two years ago.

On Friday October 10,  a yaga was conducted by a group of women in Belthangady in support of the victim, meanwhile members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India staged a candle light vigil here on Thursday October 9, all demanding that the investigation be expedited.

It may be recalled that the girl went missing on October 8, 2012 and the body was found the next day at a secluded place near Dharmasthala. Activists have accused the local police of conducting the investigation haphazardly and leaving some influential people out of its ambit.

Belthangady police arrested 34-year-old Sanjeev Rao after he was caught by a group of persons.

Following agitations accusing the police of not conducting a fair investigation, the government handed over the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).  The CID filed a chargesheet against Sanjeev Rao on January 10, 2013,  keeping an option open to file supplementary chargesheet following further investigation. But the CID could not find the involvement of any other person in the incident, though agitations were held alleging police laxity in questioning  influential people.

Also, D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, wrote a letter to the State government seeking a CBI investigation. The victim’s parents and other activists who took part in demonstrations too pressed for a CBI probe. The State government handed over the case to the CBI in April this year.

A CBI officer overseeing the investigation said that they have not made any further progress in the case. The officer said they were hopeful of making headway soon. The victim’s father said that he cannot say much about the CBI investigation. He said that the CBI officials have recorded the family’s statement.