An accused in Kathua gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s has failed in first semester examination. Chaudhary Charan Singh University official said on Friday. An office superintendent with the university said Vishal Jangotra scored zero and two marks respectively in two theory papers of BSc agriculture course conducted on January 12 and 15, during the time when the eight-year-old girl was gangraped and murdered in Kathua.

Arshad, the office superintendent could not confirm the name of the two papers but said their subject codes were 192 and 193. The university announced the examination results on Thursday, he said. Another university official, who did not want to be named, said Jangotra secured 284 marks in the 11 papers of BSc (agriculture) exams, which were conducted between January 9 and 30. Jangotra has claimed that he was appearing for his exams when the Kathua gangrape and murder took place.

The crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir police, however, has said in its chargesheet that Jangotra was present in Kathua during the exams. It also said that Jangotra, the son of the main accused Sanji Ram, sent a proxy candidate to appear for the exams. Arshad said Jangotra’s answer sheets were duly checked before they were handed over to the special investigation team (SIT) of the Jammu and Kashmir police, which visited the university on March 23 to collect them as case evidence. The probe team also seized Jangotra’s answer sheets, admit card, attendance sheet and other documents as part of investigation.

Jangotra is a BSc first year student at Akansha College in Meerapur town which is affiliated to CCS University. He appeared for the exams at KK Jain Degree College in Khatauli. Sanji Ram, Jangotra and six other people, including two special police officers (SPOs), a head constable, a sub-inspector and a minor, have been arrested in the Kathua gangrape and murder case. CCS University has also constituted a three-member committee to look into the claims of the police that Jangotra used a proxy to appear for the exams.