The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the apex child rights body in India, on Wednesday, August 4, sought a detailed action taken report from the Delhi police in connection with the alleged rape, murder and forced cremation of the nine-year-old Dalit girl in Delhi. The parents of the child have alleged that she was raped and murdered by the priest of a crematorium located opposite their home, and that the priest, identified as Radhey Shyam, forcibly cremated the minor despite her mother’s protest.
In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police of south-west Delhi, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) asked for a detailed action-taken report on the incident. "You are requested to conduct an inquiry into the matter ensuring that the victim's identity is not disclosed during the process of investigation and furnish a detailed report of the case along with the following documents within 48 hours," the letter issued on Tuesday said.
The details sought are age proof of the victim, true and legible copy of FIR, copy of autopsy report, action taken against the alleged accused named in the FIR and copy of charge sheet.
According to media reports, the nine-year-old victim, on August 1, had gone to fetch water from a water cooler installed within the premises of the Delhi Cantt crematorium, where she was allegedly gangraped and murdered. A Delhi police officer has said when the daughter’s body was found, the mother has said that there were burn marks between the child’s left wrist and elbow and her lips were also blue. Four persons — the priest Radhey Shyam, Kuldeep, Laxmi Narain and Salim — have been arrested by the police under Section 164 of CrPC, and sections of the SC/ST Act and the POCSO Act.
On Tuesday, the girl’s mother and hundreds of other local residents staged a protest near the crematorium.
"What was my daughter's fault? How will I live without her?" the mother of the girl alleged, demanding capital punishment for the accused. "My daughter went to get cold water from the crematorium ground when the incident happened. The priest showed me her body for a very brief interval of time. My daughter's lips were blue. The priest cremated my child without our consent," the girl's mother added
A day ago, the Delhi Commission for Women also launched an inquiry into the incident and summoned the city police after the girl's parents alleged that she was raped and her body was forcibly cremated by a crematorium priest who had falsely claimed that she was electrocuted. Police had on Monday said that based on the statement of the victim's mother, rape charges have been added in the FIR. Four people, including the priest, have been arrested.
"We appeal to people not to believe in rumours. Strict legal action has been taken under IPC, SC/ST Act and POCSO Act. An ACP rank officer will be the investigating officer. All the accused have been arrested and sent to jail," the Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) said in a tweet.
Rahul Gandhi visits family
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met the family of the nine-year-old Dalit girl and asserted that he was with them on the path to justice. "It is my job to help them," Gandhi said as he met the girl's parents. Later, in a tweet in Hindi, the former Congress chief said, "Her parents' tears are saying only one thing - their daughter, the daughter of this country, deserves justice. And I am with them on this path to justice."
What happened on August 1
The girl lived with her parents in the village in a rented house in front of a crematorium in Old Nangal area of south west Delhi. On Sunday at around 5.30 PM, the minor went to get cold water from a cooler at the crematorium after informing her mother, her parents said. Around 6 pm, the crematorium's priest, Radhey Shyam, and two-three other people, known to the girl's mother, called her mother there and showed her daughter's body, claiming that she got electrocuted while getting water from the cooler.
There were burn marks between her left wrist and elbow, and her lips were also blue, a senior police officer had said. It was alleged the priest and the others dissuaded her mother from making a PCR call, saying police will make a case out of it and during the post-mortem, doctors will steal the girl's organs, so it was better to cremate her.
The Dalit girl was cremated but later the woman with her husband raised a hue and cry that it was done without their consent. A crowd of 200 villagers gathered there and a PCR call was made from the spot. The PCR call was received at the Delhi Cantt police station around 10.30 PM on Sunday regarding the rape and death of a minor girl, following which a team rushed to the spot.
(With PTI inputs)