Kin wait for info on accused’s death Bandh shuts down Shimla, SIT chief among 7 shifted
SHIMLA RAPE CASE Mother of another accused says police ‘falsely implicating’ her son
Ringed by snowcapped mountains and scenic apple orchards, the small village of Hilaila in Himachal Pradesh’s Kotkhai is breathtaking in its beauty. On Thursday, though, it was grief that was most noticeable as locals trekked up a hill to the forest hut of 22-year-old Mamata Singh.
Her husband Suraj was an accused in the gang rape and murder of a 16-year-old local schoolgirl until he died in a scuffle in police custody early on Wednesday, sparking violent protests across the state where such incidences are unheard of.
Mamata, though, is yet to learn about Suraj’s death and is distraught that her 29-year-old husband hasn’t returned home.
“Can you tell me something about my husband? Where is he? No one says anything,” a tearyeyed Mamata asks. “I don’t know whether he is dead or alive, our children ask me about his whereabouts every day.”
The children — five-year-old Samir and seven-year-old Asha — hover outside their hut under a thick canopy of deodar trees.
But the agony that has hit this village of 15 families is giving way to an unlikely bonhomie. Sitting next to Mamata and consoling her is Kesari Devi, the 62-year-old mother of Rajender Singh, another accused in the case who police says killed Suraj inside Kotkhai police station.
Kesari Devi lives in a neighbouring hut and doesn’t believe her son killed either the schoolgirl or Suraj.
“I have said it a million times and will say it again: my son is innocent, the police are falsely implicating him.”
The two women are united in fear and worry the police will come looking for them. Mamata says Suraj was a hard-working daily wage earner at a nearby orchard and was in mourning over the death of their five-yearold daughter Kaali last Diwali.
Mamata, who married Suraj seven years ago, says she visited him in custody soon after his arrest.
“He did not say anything but I know he was being tortured… we are yet to come out of mourning. If my husband doesn’t return, how will I fend for my family?”
The gang rape of the schoolgirl rocked Himachal Pradesh, which has since been swept by angry protests by people who allege that the police officers have done a shoddy job while the government was busy trying to shield the real culprits.
On Wednesday, a 2,000-people-strong mob set Kotkhai police station on fire and pelted stones at security personnel.
The girl had gone missing on June 4 when she was on her way home. Her naked body was found in a ditch near Hilaila two days later. Police claims Suraj and others abducted the girl and then raped her, before killing her. But Kesari Devi says the police version of events doesn’t add up.
“Why would my son throw her (the girl’s) body in a ditch so close to our house if he had killed her ?” she asks.
Suraj was picked up with five others on June 13 for questioning after pressure mounted on the state police and the government.
The others who were arrested included Ashish Chauhan, son of an apple orchardist; Rajender Singh, a van driver; Deepak; Surat Singh Bisht, a resident of Pauri Garhwal; and Lok Jan, a Nepali national .
The main shopping and tourism centres of Shimla wore a deserted look on Thursday following a bandh call by the BJP to protest against the alleged failure of the Virbhadra government to investigate the rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai town, nearly 50km from Shimla.
Most shops on the Mall Road and Lower Bazaar remained closed this morning. Shopkeepers said they feared violence as tempers are running high amongst protesters.
The Himachal Pradesh government has transferred seven policemen including an IPS officer who led a controversial probe into the gang rape and murder case, officials said on Thursday.
The transfer of IPS officer Zahur Haidar Zaidi, who led the special investigation team, came after widespread violence over the custodial death of one of the six arrested for the crime. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh governor Acharya Devvrat has asked the Virbhadra Singh-led state government to ensure transparent and time bound action in the case, especially keeping in view the public outrage. Earlier, the chief minister met the governor at the Raj Bhawan and apprised him of the steps being taken by his government.