Suspect’s daughter dead, other missing

The police investigation into a murder case in Madhya Pradesh has taken a murky turn, with the prime suspect’s minor daughter dead, his elder daughter missing and torture marks on his body.

“Sab police ki maar ki wajah se hai (all this is due to police torture),” alleged Bale Ivne, a resident of Palaspani village in Betul district, about 175km south of state capital Bhopal.

Police are questioning Ivne, 55, and his family members for the murder of fellow villager Brajlal, 24, who was hacked to death.

Brajlal’s body was found in a field on July 10. His relatives told the police they suspected Ivne and his family members committed the murder.

“Police ne zindagi barbaad kar di hai (police have destroyed our lives),” said Ivne. “Humko roz maar rahe hain, zabardasti keh rahe hain ki bolo tumne usko mara hai (police are harassing and torturing us daily to force us to confess to the crime),” Ivne alleged.

He alleged that his elder daughter, Meena, 19, went missing from the local police station on July 16 after she was tortured. He claimed police tortured him, Meena and his younger daughter, Raseela, 17, for four hours that day in separate rooms.

Police claimed Meena pushed a woman constable and ran away.

Ivne said police called Raseela, 17, for questioning again last Saturday and she left home but never returned. “Uski lash mili agle din gaon ke kuen mein (her body was found in the village well on Sunday).”

Rajendra Dhruve, in-charge of Shahpur police station, where the murder case was lodged, said Raseela was called for questioning on July 22 but she did not turn up. Later, police came to know about her death, he added.

“We are investigating the matter,” said Dhruve.