Ranchi, March 24 -- A single pair of abandoned slippers and a massive investigation involving 600 interrogations led the Garhwa Police to crack the brutal rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Kasmar village. The accused, identified as 27-year-old Dharmendra Singh, has been arrested after he confessed to the heinous crime. The tragedy unfolded on the night of February 21. The victim had gone to attend a wedding in her village with her mother and younger sister. Around 12:30 AM, while she was briefly away from the festivities, Singh, a resident of Goberdaha staying nearby at his brother-in-law's house, spotted her and began a predatory pursuit under the cover of darkness. According to a police press release, the girl tried to flee but fell during the chase. Singh reportedly gagged her with her own clothing and strangled her until she was semi-conscious. He then carried her into a nearby pigeon pea (arhar) field belonging to Gopal Singh, where he raped her and strangled her to death. The semi-nude body was discovered on February 23, sending shockwaves through the community. Garhwa SP Aman Kumar immediately formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. While the case initially seemed "blind," the breakthrough came from a seemingly minor detail: a pair of slippers. Garhwa SDPO Rohit Ranjan Singh saidwhile the first slipper was initially ignored, the discovery of a second matching slipper some distance away days later changed the course of the probe. "Our team started showing the slipper to locals to identify its user. Singh, who had been questioned and let off earlier, was brought back in after friends identified the footwear as his. Call records helped us cross-check the facts. During questioning, Singh broke down and confessed," the SDPO said. At least 600 individuals, including members of a wedding procession (baraat) from Marda village, were interrogated and 200 call records scanned by police. Physical evidence from the chase, including the victim's dislodged sandals, was recovered to seal the chain of events. An FIR has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections for murder and gang rape (70(2)), alongside the POCSO Act. The accused is currently in custody as police finalise evidence for a fast-track trial....