Girl Dies Under Suspicious Circumstances In Delhi; 4 Held For Trying To Hush Up Case

DCP (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said the FIR was initially registered on the complaint of the victim’s family members, adding sections under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act have been added.

Delhi Police.(Representative Image/ Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing uproar over the death of a nine-year-old Dalit girl under mysterious circumstances in the national capital, four people, including a priest, have been arrested for allegedly attempting to hush up the matter.

DCP (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said the FIR was initially registered on the complaint of the victim’s family members, adding sections under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act have been added.

“We received a PCR call around 10 p.m. after which the police rushed to the spot. The half-burnt body of the girl was then sent for post-mortem. The necessary exhibits for the forensic investigation have been taken from the spot and also from the house of the main accused Radheshyam, the priest of the cremation ground. The four accused Radheshyam, Salim, Laxmi Narayan and Kuldeep have been arrested,” Singh said.

“The FIR was initially registered on the allegations made by the aggrieved party. The SC / ST Commission Committee also came on Monday night after which other charges were made and serious sections added for rape, murder, POCSO, destruction of evidence, forcible detention of the parents of the child,” he added.

Victim's Mother Suspects Foul Play

The top cop further said the statement of the girl's mother has also been recorded before the Magistrate. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother while narrating her ordeal suspected foul play in connection with her daughter’s death.

“The priest came looking for me around 7 p.m. on Sunday and said the girl has died. When I went to the crematorium, I saw the girl lying. I asked what had happened? The priest told me the girl died due to electrocution. I asked how did this happen.  He said that she got electrocuted while filling water from the water cooler. My husband was also called later. The priest then said there is now no use in informing the police about this,” the victim’s mother said.

“The priest said the girl’s post-mortem will be done during which her organs will be removed and so it would be better if the last rites are done. The priest then himself did the cremation work. We were not allowed to go out anywhere. When we returned to our home, the priest asked us not to cry,” she added.

A visibly shaken mother further said that she could not control the tears as her daughter was no more and began crying.

“Some relatives from our village then came to us and we went to the cremation ground. They extinguished the fire and informed the police,” said the girl’s mother.

“The police then took us to the police station where one of my relatives abused and beat my husband, but the police did not say anything. My statement was also recorded before the Magistrate,” she added.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Rakhi Birla met the girl’s family members and said that this matter should be put before a fast-track court to ensure the family gets justice.

“I came to meet the family on receiving information about this incident. The family should get justice. The police have not yet given the FIR’s copy to this family,” she said.

Birla also said that she would also meet the Delhi Police Joint Commissioner in connection with this case.

Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi range), Jaspal Singh, also met the girl’s family members and assured a proper investigation into the matter.

“I met the victim’s family members. They were told what the police have done so far. Besides, they were also told that they can come and meet us whenever needed. The investigation of this case has been handed over to the District Investigation Unit (DIU). The matter will be investigated under the supervision of a gazetted officer,” he said.

Singh also said that an FIR has been registered in this case under the POCSO Act, adding the chargesheet will, therefore, be filed in 60 days.

Congress Stages Protest Against Delhi Govt

Demanding justice for the Dalit girl, the Congress Party’s women’s wing staged a protest and raised slogans against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while questioning his silence on the matter. 

"Delhi has become a rapists’ haven. Every other day rapes are taking place with girls. A Dalit girl was raped two days. It is a sin to be woman in Delhi and the country, and being a Dalit girl is a great sin. The Chief Minister should have ensured the Dalit Commission is formed in Delhi like we have the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in the country," said one of the protesting Congress workers.

DCW Initiates Inquiry In The Matter 

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has initiated an inquiry into the minor Dalit girl’s death and has summoned the summoned the Deputy Commissioner of southwest district to be present before it on August 5 and produce the complete case file along with a copy of the FIR.