Rape & murder of 9-yr-old: Capital punishment for culprits demanded
Kejriwal condemns incident, says there is need to improve law and order in Delhi
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday condemned the rape and murder of a nineyear-old girl in the city and demanded capital punishment for the culprits.
He said there is a need to improve the law and order situation in the national capital.
The Dalit girl died under suspicious circumstances, even as her parents alleged that she was raped and her body was forcibly cremated by a crematorium’s priest, according to the police.
The police said that based on the statement of the girl’s mother, rape charges have been added in the FIR. Four people, including the priest, have been arrested in connection with the case.
“The murder of a nineyear-old innocent in Delhi after subjecting her to brutality is very shameful. There is a need to improve the law and order situation in Delhi. The culprits should be given capital punishment at the earliest,” the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Going to meet the victim’s family tomorrow, will do everything possible to help the family in this fight for justice,” Mr Kejriwal tweeted.
Delhi Women and Child Development minister Rajendra Pal Gautam had met the victim’s family on Monday. “This is a very shocking matter. I have spoken to the DCP and the district magistrate here. I asked them that the matter should be investigated in a fast-track manner. The statement of the parents should be immediately recorded without any delay,” he said.
“There should be a thorough investigation in the matter. If we feel that the investigation is not carried out properly, then the Delhi government will conduct a magisterial inquiry,” Mr Gautam had said.
The parents of the nineyear-old girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered in Southwest Delhi, on Tuesday, demanded capital punishment for the culprits. The girl’s parents, along with several people, staged a sit-in near the spot of the incident in the Old Nangal area on Tuesday. The protest led to traffic snarls in and around the area.
“My daughter went to get water from the crematorium when the incident took place. The priest showed me her body for a brief moment, her lips were blue. The priest cremated my child without our consent,”
the girl’s mother said. The woman said the priest was lying that the girl was electrocuted and alleged that he raped her.
“Our community members doused the burning pyre and pulled the legs of my daughter. We need justice for her and the accused should get strict punishment,” she said.
The father of the girl alleged that he was beaten up by a man who threatened him not to file a police complaint.
“I was in the market when the incident took place. I got to know about it around 7.30 pm when her body was set on fire. A person from the nearby area assaulted me and threatened me to not file any complaint. He even offered me `20,000, but I refused,” he said.
“I suspect that the priest must have informed that person about the incident. We have only one demand that the accused must be hanged,” the father said.
On Monday too, agitated locals had blocked a stretch of road in the area and demanded strict punishment for the culprits following which additional police personnel were deployed. DCP (Southwest) said in a tweet, “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 police on Monday had said rape charges were added in the FIR based on the statement of the victim’s mother and four people, including the priest, who were arrested.
According to the police, all the evidence collected from the spot of the crime has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team.
The girl lived with her parents in the village in a rented house in front of a crematorium.
The murder of a nine-year-old innocent in Delhi after subjecting her to brutality is very shameful. There is a need to improve the law and order situation in Delhi
— Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi CM