Dumka Girl Death Case: NCPCR Chief Accuses Police Of Negligence, Says Adequate Care Not Given To Victim
"Police did not do proper hearing, proper treatment was not given to her. If a child dies due to lack of treatment, it is gross negligence of the administration and government," said Kanoongo.
New Delhi: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief, Priyank Kanoongo will be a part of a team that will travel to Dumka, Jharkhand to investigate the absence of due diligence in handling the Dumka incident where a Class 12 student was set ablaze. The team is scheduled to visit Dumka on September 4, according to ANI.
"We'll go there, meet doctors and family members of the child. We'll investigate the whole matter and convey it in our report...According to service rules, stern action will be taken against people who deprived the child of her rights," Kanoongo told the news agency.
"I spoke to the child's father over call. Police did not do proper hearing, proper treatment was not given to her. If a child dies due to lack of treatment, it is gross negligence of the administration and government. We'll collect facts on it and ensure action is taken," Kanoongo added.
The main accused, Shahrukh, allegedly poured petrol on the girl from outside the window of the victim's room when she was sleeping and set her on fire on August 23. After being hospitalised for 5 days, she succumbed to her injuries. Shahrukh and an accomplice have been arrested.
Earlier, the deceased's age was mentioned as 19 years in her recorded statement by the police which was later corrected to 16 years. This was after the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Dumka said that the Class 12 student was a minor, and demanded action against him under the POCSO Act.
"Police concealed many things, quoted wrong age of victim for which the girl child did not get benefits of Juvenile Justice Act. It's criminal negligence. POCSO sections weren't invoked. Yesterday on Child Welfare Committee's demand they invoked it," Priyank Kanoongo told ANI.
The incident grabbed further attention after the last statement of the victim, "I want him to suffer like I am suffering", went viral.
The Jharkhand government has constituted a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of an SP to investigate the matter.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
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