The body of the eight-year-old Dalit girl from Kalvilai village in Sathankulam was finally laid to rest on Friday afternoon by her family members. On Thursday, the family had protested outside the Thirunelveli government hospital, demanding a proper probe into her death. A solatium of Rs 4,12,500 was granted by the district Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer.
The police have arrested two 19-year-old youths, Mutheeswaran a Dalit and Nantheesh from a dominant caste, and filed a case under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, section 5(m) (penetrative sexual assault) and section 6 of Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) and sections 3(1)(w)(i) and 3(2)(v a) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015, relatives feel the case is far from over, alleging that a proper probe has not been conducted.
Talking on behalf of the family to TNM, Murasu Tamilappan, district secretary of VCK in Thoothukudi says, “Had he done it in a fit of rage like he claims, he should have at least informed the neighbours when the girl lost consciousness. How did he come to the conclusion that she had died at that instant? What was the need for him to hide her body inside a drum and then dispose of it discreetly in the middle of the day? Something else must have happened.”
In the complaint filed by the girl’s mother, she has alleged that the girl’s mouth had bite marks and this could possibly indicate that she was sexually assaulted and then strangulated. “We do not know what happened unless Mutheeswaran confesses to it. For that, the police will have to conduct a thorough investigation. We can’t entirely believe this (Mutheeswaran’s) story,” Murasu says.
“He has disposed the body while wearing gloves. He dumped her body in a waterbody to erase all evidence. He has been very careful in trying to hide the whole incident and escape from POCSO,” Murasu alleges.